Telling Questions More Details-Less Anxiety

Abstract A primary focus of providers of child sexual abuse treatment is preservation of the delicate balance between child treatment and legal action. It is important that children bring up true information without the taint of leading questions. Having a single structured question as a regular part of the weekly introductory segment of a group or individual treatment session, as well as the same topic more fully explored in themes and therapeutic activities throughout the session reduces contamination of child testimony. Responses often provide valuable insight not revealed in other intervention strategies and provide incremental preparation for the “telling of the story.” The ordering and creation of questions to increase ease of answering and decrease higher levels of anxiety is one of the innovative ways to use structured questions to encourage successful child client participation, aid client de-sensitization, address individual treatment goals, and thereby enhance progress in therapy.