Effect of gender on childhood maltreatment in the state of Qatar: Retrospective study

Abstract

BackgroundInternational maltreatment studies show a range of results for overall rates of child maltreatment and gender differences. The ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tools (ICAST) were designed to reduce variability in data collection. ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of gender on the experiences of discipline and maltreatment in childhood among young people in Qatar, informingpractice and policy development. Participants and SettingA representative sample of Qatari youth aged between 18 and 24 years were identified using a cross sectional random household survey. The total number of subjects was 697 of whom 46.8% were male. MethodsParticipants self-administered the ICAST-R (retrospective), which includes questions about exposure below the age of 18 to potentially abusive physical, psychological and sexual behaviors. Verbal consent was obtained following an introductory explanation and assurance ofconfidentiality. ResultsAt least one form of physical abuse was reported by 22.1% of participants and was significantly higher among males (28.2%) than females (16.7%) p<0.001). A trend for greater abuse was identified among boys aged over five which become statistically significant between 10 -13 years (p=0.001). For psychological abuse the overall rates were very similar, 16.2% for girls and 15.0% for boys. Only 17 (2.5%) of participants reported sexual abuse, with no statistically significant gender difference. ConclusionsPhysical, psychological and sexual abuse all occur in Qatar. This study demonstrates the importance of identifying the role of gender and age when exploring the extent and nature of maltreatment in a population. It allows for better targeting of preventative action.