title: Examining the relationship between child maltreatment and school performance in public schools in Saudi Arabia: A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between child maltreatment (CM) and school performance among adolescents in Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2014. The enrolment criteria included both male and female Saudi students ( n=674; 52.7% male) aged 12-19 years ( Mage=15.6±1.6 years), attending intermediate and secondary schools belonging to the Ministry of National Guard. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather information on different forms of abuse that had occurred in the past or were currently occurring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Poor school performance was more likely in students who lived among substance-use family members or guardians compared with those who did not (33.3% vs. 11.4%; p<0.01), those with an imprisoned family member compared with those without (26.5% vs. 11.2%; p<0.01), those who were psychologically abused compared with those who were not abused (21.0% vs. 10.1%; p<0.01), those who were physically abused compared with those who were not abused (18.9% vs. 9.3%; p<0.01), and those suffering multiple forms of abuse compared with those not abused (23.4% vs. 9.7%; p<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that household dysfunction was the most predisposing factor to poor performance in school, and included living among substance-use family members or guardians (odds ratio=4.0; 95% confidence interval=1.7-9.5) and living with imprisoned family member (odds ratio=3.1, 95% confidence interval=1.5-6.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CM, along with family structure and dynamics, has an adverse relationship with students' school performance. These findings highlight the importance of increasing awareness of the impact of CM on school performance among families, schools and the community.
authors.affiliation: 1 King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) and King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Altamimi
authors.affiliation: 1 King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) and King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Saudi Arabia.|2 National Family Safety Program (NFSP).|3 King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital; King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almuneef
authors.affiliation: 1 King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) and King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Saudi Arabia.|3 King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital; King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fadia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Albuhairan
authors.affiliation: 1 King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) and King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Saudi Arabia.|2 National Family Safety Program (NFSP).
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saleheen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017150:Public Sector; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Child maltreatment; Saudi Arabia; school performance