Child Discipline in Qatar: Qualitative vs. Quantitative approaches

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain the nature, extent and determinants of child discipline in Qatar to develop laws and policies for effective prevention of child maltreatment and educational materials to promote positive discipline. ... [ view full abstract ]

OBJECTIVES:
To ascertain the nature, extent and determinants of child discipline in Qatar to develop laws and policies for effective prevention of child maltreatment and educational materials to promote positive discipline.

METHOD:
Study includes qualitative and quantitative phases. Four focus groups and 40 interviews were conducted at primary healthcare centers across Doha with Qatari mothers, young women, young men and professionals working with children, probing for general attitudes and methods of child discipline. Random household survey (1,039 mothers, 697 youth (18-24 years)) used ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tools: ICAST-P for mothers, ICAST-R for youth, to investigate child discipline methods into the maltreatment range.

RESULTS:
In the qualitative phase, both mothers and youth supported light hitting, but said excessive use could cause psychological harm. Quantitative results showed approximately 15% of mothers used hitting and 12% of youth experienced hitting during childhood. Mothers and youth reported maids played a significant role in raising children in qualitative phase with consequences on children’s habits, language, traditions and increased vulnerability to physical and sexual abuse. However, survey showed only 8.2% of mothers claimed to use maids in child rearing and <1% of youth listed domestic servants as perpetrators in discipline or maltreatment. Sexual abuse was discussed as common in school between peers, besides maids and drivers as perpetrators, yet only 0.6% of mothers reported their children experiencing sexual abuse and 1% of youth reported sexual abuse in childhood. Withholding privileges was highly praised as a positive discipline method by mothers and youth throughout qualitative interviews, with 55.5% of mothers later reporting its use.

CONCLUSIONS:
The household survey supported some statements in qualitative phase but not others. Possible reasons: different methodologies and qualitative questions being impersonal and indirect. Future studies in Arab populations may consider using more indirect methodologies conducted in a neutral setting not households.