Children's dietary recalls from three validation studies: types of intrusion vary with retention interval

Using previously collected data of fourth‐grade children observed eating school meals and then interviewed, we categorized intrusions (food items reported but not observed eaten) as stretches (on the child's tray) or confabulations (not on the child's tray). We investigated intrusions, confabulations, and stretches and the role of liking, at different retention intervals (morning interviews about the previous day's intake; evening interviews about that day's intake) and under different reporting‐ order prompts (forward; reverse). As retention interval between consumption and report increased, the likelihood (1) increased that reported items were intrusions, that reported items were confabulations and that intrusions were confabulations; and (2) was constant that reported items were stretches. Results concerning reporting‐order prompts were inconclusive. Liking ratings were higher for matches (reports of items observed eaten) than stretches, for confabulations than stretches, and for matches than omissions (unreported items observed eaten), but did not vary by retention interval or reporting‐order prompts. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.