Outcomes of parental corporal punishment: Psychological maladjustment and physical abuse

Abstract

The use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary method is a much debated topic in the area of parent-child relations. Recent research has shown that such punishment is associated with adverse psychological and physical outcomes for children. This chapter will address this issue in the cultural context of Sri Lanka where specific information about the experiences of disciplining children and its outcomes is lacking. The research reported here is part of a larger study of the outcomes of child-directed violence on 12-year-old children. The study incorporated a number of measures including the Parent-Child Conflict Tactic Scale [CTSPC: Straus, Hamby, Finklehor, Moore, & Runyan, 1998] and Personality Assessment Questionnaire [PAQ: Rohner, 1999] which were translated, adapted and validated for the Sri Lankan context. A Psychosocial Questionnaire (PSQ) was also designed specifically for this study to assess selected correlates (including non-parent-to-child violence, children’s attitude to corporal punishment, parent-child relationship, and children’s support network) hypothesized to be associated with parental use of corporal punishment and its psychological outcomes. The validated instruments were used in a cross-sectional study of 12-year-old Sinhala speaking government school children in the Colombo district. Participants were chosen according to a stratified random sampling technique. The final sample size was 1226 (M age = 11.83 years, SD = 0.51 years; 61% females). The children reported a high prevalence of corporal punishment and physical abuse. A predictive model examining the association between corporal punishment and psychological maladjustment was tested. It was found that not only did corporal punishment directly predict a child’s maladjustment but that non-parent-to-child violence (i.e., domestic, school, peer, and community violence) significantly impacted this association. A predictive model examining the association between corporal punishment and physical abuse was also tested. The results showed that corporal punishment is moderately but significantly associated with physical abuse. Taken together, these findings inform our understanding of children’s perceptions of parenting behaviors and their impact on children. In particular, they highlight that, though many Sri Lankans believe in the efficacy of corporal punishment, it does appear to be associated with negative outcomes for children. It is hoped that the empirical findings from this research program can assist and support social policy-makers as they plan guiding principles for positive parenting and develop programs aimed at raising awareness among Sri Lankan parents on healthy disciplinary methods.