Corporal Punishment: Risk Factors and Frequency among a Sample of Egyptian Children Attending Primary Care Centers

Abstract

Background:Worldwide, the use of corporal punishment (CP) remains one of the most used methods to discipline children despite the empircial research on its negative outcomes. Objectives : (i) to identify the prevalence of CP (ii) to identify the socio-demographic risk factors (iii) to identify reasons for using CP, (iv) to assess mothers' knowledge about CP outcomes. Methods: Cross-sectional survey with a structured questionnaire was done on a sample of 298 Egyptian mothers of 2-14 years old children. Results: About (97%) of children were corporally punished. The significant predictors of mothers' use of CP were low socio-economic class, child age mother age and mother's childhood experience of CP. Maternal stress, anger, seeking are the most common reasons.Conclusions: CP is prevelant problem in Egypt, yet it's predictable and adjustbale. Primary care practitioners should be trained to offer parenting guidance especially where there is other health care provider.