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Real-time stress monitoring in a child-friendly court: a repeated measures field study

Author

Listed:
  • Jose M. Rodríguez-Pellejero

    (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)

  • Itahisa Mulero-Henríquez

    (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)

  • Zaira Santana Amador

    (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)

Abstract

Most child-friendly court reforms are based on the assumption that the court setting is a stressful experience. Our objective was to analyze the acute stress levels of children who come to testify in a child-friendly investigative court using a person-by-environment approach. We employed a simple repeated measures design for this study, which included 42 minors of Spanish nationality who provided testimony as victims of violence in Spain’s inaugural Child-Friendly Court. Among the participants, 73.8% were girls with a mean age of 12.5 years (SD = 3.4), and 26.2% were boys with a mean age of 11.4 years (SD = 3.1). Stress levels were measured using heart rate variability, and anxiety was assessed using state-trait questionnaires. The study found that the mean percentile of anxiety remained at moderate levels, while stress remained at medium-low levels. No significant differences in anxiety or stress were found based on gender or type of crime. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant differences in stress levels among different court settings. Stress levels in the waiting room and Gesell room were significantly higher than those in the decompression room. In conclusion, the experience of testifying in a Gesell room about the aggressions suffered increases stress levels. However, in this sample and for this Pilot Court, the stress levels observed during testimony did not reach levels considered detrimental to children’s health. Our results lend support to the new European Judicial Policy, which includes the establishment and operation of Specialized Courts adapted to the needs of children and adolescents.

Suggested Citation

  • Jose M. Rodríguez-Pellejero & Itahisa Mulero-Henríquez & Zaira Santana Amador, 2024. "Real-time stress monitoring in a child-friendly court: a repeated measures field study," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-03410-w
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-03410-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fenghua Li & Peida Xu & Shichun Zheng & Wenfeng Chen & Yang Yan & Suo Lu & Zhengkui Liu, 2018. "Photoplethysmography based psychological stress detection with pulse rate variability feature differences and elastic net," International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, , vol. 14(9), pages 15501477188, September.
    2. Susana Rodrigues & Joana S. Paiva & Duarte Dias & Marta Aleixo & Rui Manuel Filipe & João Paulo S. Cunha, 2018. "Cognitive Impact and Psychophysiological Effects of Stress Using a Biomonitoring Platform," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Veronique Deschodt-Arsac & Romain Lalanne & Beatrice Spiluttini & Claire Bertin & Laurent M Arsac, 2018. "Effects of heart rate variability biofeedback training in athletes exposed to stress of university examinations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(7), pages 1-13, July.
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