Critique of a measure of interrogative suggestibility for children: The Bonn test of statement suggestibility

Abstract

Professionals supporting child witnesses are concerned with susceptibility to suggestion, that is, the impact of suggestive questioning on the information that children report. The Bonn test of statement suggestibility (BTSS; Endres, The Journal of Credibility Assessment and Witness Psychology, 1997, 1, 44–67; Endres et al., Psychologie der zeugenaussage, 1998) is a measure of interrogative suggestibility. It focuses on the interaction between the individual child and their environment, which may make a child vulnerable to suggestion. We aim to examine the psychometric properties of the BTSS tool by critiquing the scientific construction of the elements and the robustness of the measure. We conclude that the limited available research allows for a tentative conclusion of suitable levels of reliability and validity. However, we propose that the BTSS should not be administered in isolation to determine suggestibility but instead there should be a wider assessment completed with consideration of the broader aspects of the child's individual situation.