1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Suggestibility in Children: Clinical and Forensic Considerations is presented by Jerrod Brown, PhD.

Although suggestibility may occur at any age, children may be particularly vulnerable depending on the environment and a host of social, emotional, and psychological variables. This risk is due to cognitive factors (e.g., memory and attentional capacity) and social factors (e.g., psychosocial immaturity and avoidance coping styles) that are heavily influenced by human development. As such, the likelihood of suggestibility substantially decreases as a child advances into adolescence and adulthood. Beyond these cognitive and social factors, suggestibility is also influenced by situational factors, including leading and repetitive questions and the presentation of false information. Such situational features are commonplace in clinical and forensic settings (e.g., police interrogations and trials), which raises concerns that children may be prone to memory disturbances with harmful legal consequences (e.g., false confessions and wrongful convictions). This program is designed to help assist professionals in clinical and forensic settings to decrease the likelihood of suggestibility among children. Topics addressed include defining suggestibility, discussing the developmental needs of children, identifying tactics to maximize the accuracy of memories, and reviewing the needs of future research.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the forensic and legal implications of suggestibility in children
  • 2 Describe situational, cognitive, and social factors that contribute to suggestibility in children
  • 3 Describe interview approaches that reduce the risk of suggestibility in children

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and legal professionals at all experience levels—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—who seek to deepen their understanding of suggestibility in children and its impact on both clinical and forensic outcomes. The program covers the mechanisms of suggestibility, strategies to minimize memory distortions, and best practices for promoting accurate reporting among youth. It is relevant for professionals working in a variety of settings, including forensic, clinical, criminal justice, health care, social service, and educational environments.

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

  • Practice Setting

    • Forensic psychologists

    • Clinical child psychologists

    • Developmental psychologists

    • Legal consultants

    • Mental health clinicians

    • Social workers

    • Child protection professionals

    • Police officers and investigators

    • Correctional facility staff

    • Educators and school counselors

    • Professionals in courts, child protection agencies, and social service organizations

Presented By

Jerrod Brown, PhD

Jerrod Brown, PhD, is the Treatment Director for Pathways Counseling Center, Inc., the lead developer of an online Master of Arts degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Forensic Behavioral Health from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS), and the Editor-in-Chief of Forensic Scholars Today (FST) and the Journal of Special Populations (JSP).

View More Programs from this Presenter
Jerrod Brown, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Review suggestibility in children

  • Identify tactics for memory recall

  • Discuss future research possibilities

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.