Avatar-Based Training Enhances and Maintains Child Sexual Abuse Investigation Skills in Police Officers

Strategic Insights -

Research results from a study at East China Normal University in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, have shown that avatar-based training effectively improves and maintains child sexual abuse investigation skills in police officers. The study focused on 478 police officers and evaluated the effectiveness of initial training and booster sessions in maintaining interviewing skills over time. The results indicate that avatar-based training with regular booster sessions enhances and maintains the competence of police officers in conducting child sexual abuse investigations.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study involved 478 police officers who underwent avatar-based interview training for child sexual abuse investigations.
  • The training improved interviewing skills, increasing recommended questions and relevant details elicited.
  • The double booster group demonstrated better skill maintenance over time than the single booster group.
  • No differences in relearning saving rates were observed between groups at 6 months.
  • The study suggests that avatar-based training with regular booster sessions can effectively enhance and maintain child sexual abuse investigation skills in police officers.
  • The researchers recommend examining skill transfer to real interviews and optimal booster scheduling in future research.
  • The study indicates that police officers who received avatar-based training with booster sessions maintained their skills at a higher rate than those who only received initial training.

Statistics:

  • 478 police officers participated in the study.
  • The initial training improved interviewing skills by increasing recommended questions and relevant details elicited.
  • The double booster group showed better skill maintenance over time than the single booster group.
  • No differences in relearning saving rates were observed between groups at 6 months (single booster: 75%, double booster: 78%).
  • The study indicates that avatar-based training with regular booster sessions can effectively enhance and maintain child sexual abuse investigation skills in police officers.

Sources:

  • "Retention of Training Effects in Police Officers Following Scalable AI Simulations of Child Sexual Abuse Interviews" (2025), Publish in Behavioral Sciences & the Law.
  • East China Normal University, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
  • Behavioral Sciences & the Law, Wiley, 111 River St, Hoboken 07030-5774, NJ, USA.
  • Health & Medicine Week, October 31, 2025, p 533.