An empirical investigation of child abuse in Saudi Arabia: Identifying common themes

This study aimed to identify the common themes in Saudi abused children. Sixty eight (68) children were interviewed in two designed sessions, and an interview conducted with the caregivers about child maltreatment. The study... [ view full abstract ]

This study aimed to identify the common themes in Saudi abused children. Sixty eight (68) children were interviewed in two designed sessions, and an interview conducted with the caregivers about child maltreatment. The study sample consisted of children (ages 6 through 18) from two settings: government institution and family home in Riyadh. Thematic analysis was performed to create established meaningful patterns and reporting the final report.

Data analysis revealed seven active themes: fear, thoughts of death, being forced to do things, lack of trust, low self-esteem, alcohol and drug, and psychological problems. These findings shed light on how Saudi abused children perceive the abuse, and how they lived experience abuse impact their mental health. These finding suggest that a deep thematic analysis of child abuse can provide a foundation for a more refined inquiry to the scientific investigation, mental assessment, and treatment of Saudi abused children with complex histories of child abuse.