Retention of Training Effects in Police Officers Following Scalable AI Simulations of Child Sexual Abuse Interviews

Child sexual abuse (CSA) investigations require high-quality interviews, but maintaining interviewing skills long-term has been challenging. This study investigated the long-term effectiveness of avatar-based interview training for CSA investigations among 478 police officers. Participants were randomly assigned to single booster (n = 291) or double booster (n = 187) groups. Following initial training, the single booster group received reinforcement at 6 months, while the double booster group received sessions at 1 and 6 months. Results showed that initial training significantly improved interviewing skills, increasing recommended questions and relevant details elicited. While the double booster group demonstrated better skill maintenance over time, no differences in relearning saving rates were observed between groups at 6 months. The study indicates that avatar-based training with regular booster sessions effectively enhances and maintains CSA interviewing competence. Future research should examine skill transfer to real interviews and optimal booster scheduling.