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. 2025 May;30(2):242-252.
doi: 10.1177/10775595241263017. Epub 2024 Jun 18.

Using an AI-based avatar for interviewer training at Children's Advocacy Centers: Proof of Concept

Gunn-Astrid Baugerud  1 , Miriam S Johnson  1 , Rachel Dianiska  2 , Ragnhild K Røed  1 , Martine B Powell  3 , Michael E Lamb  4 , Syed Zohaib Hassan  5 , Saaed S Sabet  5 , Steven Hicks  5 , Pegah Salehi  5 , Michael A Riegler  5 , Pål Halvorsen  5 , Jodi Quas  2
Affiliations

Using an AI-based avatar for interviewer training at Children's Advocacy Centers: Proof of Concept

Gunn-Astrid Baugerud et al. Child Maltreat. 2025 May.

Abstract

This proof-of- concept study focused on interviewers' behaviors and perceptions when interacting with a dynamic AI child avatar alleging abuse. Professionals (N = 68) took part in a virtual reality (VR) study in which they questioned an avatar presented as a child victim of sexual or physical abuse. Of interest was how interviewers questioned the avatar, how productive the child avatar was in response, and how interviewers perceived the VR interaction. Findings suggested alignment between interviewers' virtual questioning approaches and interviewers' typical questioning behavior in real-world investigative interviews, with a diverse range of questions used to elicit disclosures from the child avatar. The avatar responded to most question types as children typically do, though more nuanced programming of the avatar's productivity in response to complex question types is needed. Participants rated the avatar positively and felt comfortable with the VR experience. Results underscored the potential of AI-based interview training as a scalable, standardized alternative to traditional methods.

Keywords: child advocacy Centers, child abuse, forensic interviews, interviewing children, sexual abuse, interview techniques.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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