Description
Recently, researchers have developed a system whereby investigators can self-evaluate the quality of their interviews using a downloadable app – the Forensic Interview Trace (FIT) app. The FIT allows interviewers to evaluate the quality of their interviews by examining how often they use appropriate questioning, and whether they use sufficient relationship building behaviours. The app also allows the user to track full interviewee disclosures were across the interview. These qualities mean the app has potential to make it much easier for interviewers to take the time needed to evaluate interview performance and improve interview technique. However, there is a need to further test the app to determine how effective it is as a training, research or tool for practice.
This MSc will use the FIT app to validate the measures of interview performance against typical experimental measures of interview quality. In other words, do the app metrics align with other human coded quality measures, as well as the information elicited from interviewees and the quality of the relationship between interviewer and interviewee.
Example Research question
1. How valid are the collected metrics as valid indicators of interview quality?
2. Is there construct validity for the different performance areas tracked by the app?
Type of research
Experimental or psychometric research, depending on the research questions asked and the preferences of the student.
Key words
Interrogation, investigative interview, technology, investigation.
Information
Please contact Steven Watson when you are interested in this assignment: s.j.watson@utwente.nl.
The research will be conducted with input from the developers of the FIT app: https://www.forensicinterviewtrace.com/the-fit/
Literature
Farrugia, L., Oxburgh, G., & Gabbert, F. (2019). Effective evaluation of forensic interviews: The forensic interview trace (FIT). Investigative interviewing: Research and Practice, 10(1), 20-31.