Reliable and Fictitious Accounts of Sexual Abuse to Children

The various categories of reports of child sexual abuse were examined in Phase 1 of a two-part study. In this first phase, all the reports (N = 576) of child sexual abuse made to the Denver Department of Social Services were categorized. Most reports were reliable accounts (70%), but a small proportion appeared to be fictitious (8%). In Phase 2, fictitious (false) reports of child sexual abuse were examined in detail. Certain clinical features appeared to mark the fictitious reports: lack of emotion and an absence of coercion and threat in the child's account, absence of detail, and several of the children and some adults were suffering from preexisting posttraumatic stress disorders based upon previous experiences. In certain cases, custody or visitation disputes were in force when the allegation arose. Poor quality of interviews with children was sometimes a factor. In our current state of knowledge absolute conclusions are not possible in the absence of corroboration. Tentative conclusions are drawn concerning present clinical practice and suggestions are made for future research.