Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing Questionnaires

389

Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Child Abuse Review Vol. 14: 389–406 (2005)

Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Accepted 11 October 2005

*

Correspondence to: Alun Morgan, The Faculty of Health and Social Care, The

Open University, The Horlock Building, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA,

UK. Tel: 01908 655503. Fax: 01908 653754. E-mail: a.morgan@open.ac.uk

Murray Davies

The Viewpoint Organisation

West Yorkshire, UK

Alun Morgan*

Faculty of Health and Social Care

The Open University

Milton Keynes, UK

Child Abuse Review Vol. 14: 389–406 (2005)

Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/car.925

Using Computer-

Assisted Self-

Interviewing (CASI)

Questionnaires

to Facilitate

Consultation and

Participation with

Vulnerable Young

People

This paper explores computer-assisted self-interviewing (CASI) as

a methodology for consulting with vulnerable children. The authors

provide a brief review of the literature in this area, indicating that

computer-mediated environments for self-administered questionnaires

can be particularly helpful in enabling data to be obtained about

sensitive subjects. A case example is provided of Viewpoint Interactive,

a CASI application in use in the UK in local authority children’s services,

education, and in learning disability child care practice. The paper

concludes that CASI as a methodology can assist with consultation,

and that it may provide a useful additional tool in the complex process

of moving beyond consultation alone to the development of increased

and more effective participation for vulnerable children in the provision

of their care. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

K

EY

W

ORDS

: computer-assisted self-interviewing (CASI); audio-CASI;

children’s consultation; children’s participation; internet;

planning children’s services

T

raditional interviewing techniques and other methods

for facilitating communication and participation with

vulnerable children, for example through the child’s cultural

context including music, photography, video, dance or drama,

‘Can be

particularly helpful

in enabling data to

be obtained about

sensitive subjects’