Children and secret-telling: How they spill the beans

Knowing who children share secrets with can aid in the understanding of what factors influence the transmission of secrets by children. The present study examines who and how children tell when they have seen a transgression committed by an adult. Specifically, do children tell a peer or an unfamiliar interviewer? Children aged 2-12 years attended a science event with half the group seeing a show that included an adult transgression and the other half viewing a show with no transgression event. Child then discussed the science shows with a peer and then with an unfamiliar adult. Of the seventy-eight participants, only three disclosed that there was a transgression to any recipient. Understanding this low level of disclosure is crucial for cases where a child has experienced a harmful event and is not disclosing information that could help them.Peer reviewe