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Measuring attitudes regarding female genital mutilation through a list experiment

Author

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  • Elisabetta de Cao
  • Clemens Lutz

Abstract

Understanding the attitudes toward Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is crucial for policy, but challenging because it is a sensitive topic. This paper uses a list experiment to elicit truthful answers about FGM support in Ethiopia. A regression analysis is developed to analyze the data. To test the social desirability bias, list experiment results are compared with direct question results revealing that uneducated respondents underreport their support by 16% (p-value=0.013), while women treated by a NGO intervention by 12% (p-value=0.060). Potential bias in responses to direct questions should be considered when measuring sensitive outcomes, especially in the context of policy evaluations.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisabetta de Cao & Clemens Lutz, 2015. "Measuring attitudes regarding female genital mutilation through a list experiment," CSAE Working Paper Series 2015-20, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    • Handle: RePEc:csa:wpaper:2015-20
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Amber Peterman & Tia M. Palermo & Sudhanshu Handa & David Seidenfeld & on behalf of the Zambia Child Grant Program Evaluation Team, 2018. "List randomization for soliciting experience of intimate partner violence: Application to the evaluation of Zambia's unconditional child grant program," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 622-628, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Female genital mutilation; female circumcision; list experiment; sensitive survey questions; Ethiopia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
    • C83 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Survey Methods; Sampling Methods

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