College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2026-04-30 09:18:15
Major
Psychology
Honors Course
PSYC:498
Number of Credits
3
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2026
Abstract
Children who are victims of physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse are nearly always left deeply traumatized by such events. In extreme cases, abused children may be asked to testify against their abuser(s) in legal proceedings, recounting their trauma in front of a room full of strangers. For some, the trauma of abuse may influence a child’s ability to effectively recall and describe their experiences and for others, the process of participating in legal proceedings creates deeper wounds. Research has aimed to understand whether children lack the ability to contribute sufficient testimonies during investigations of abuse and how these investigations might play a part in a child’s trauma processing. The following project works to bring a diversity of research literature together as a way to synthesize these scholarly arguments concisely.
Research Sponsor
Kevin Kaut
First Reader
Diamond Brown
Second Reader
James Diefendorff
Honors Faculty Advisor
Kevin Kaut
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
Sweger, Morgan, "A Child on Stand: The Impact of Experiencing Trauma on Children’s Testimonial Efficacy in Legal Proceedings" (2026). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2149.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2149
Included in
Biological Psychology Commons, Child Psychology Commons, Cognition and Perception Commons, Cognitive Psychology Commons, Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons, Nonprofit Studies Commons