Perceived Appropriateness as a Moderator of the Association between Corporal Punishment and Chinese Adolescents’ Externalizing Behaviors

Abstract

Parental corporal punishment has consistently been linked to adolescents’ negative outcomes, such as externalizing behaviors. Studies have suggested that adolescents’ subjective perceptions of parental corporal punishment may moderate the relations between corporal punishment and adolescents’ externalizing behaviors. From this perspective, adolescents’ perceived appropriateness of corporal punishment may be an important moderator. Unfortunately, limited research has addressed the moderating role of adolescents’ perceived appropriateness in the association between parental corporal punishment and adolescents’ externalizing behaviors. The present study examined this issue in China. A sample of 1164 Chinese adolescents aged 11–16 years old (M = 14.36 years, SD = 0.96; 48.8% boys) completed measures on parental corporal punishment, perceived appropriateness of corporal punishment, and externalizing behaviors. The results indicated that adolescents’ perceived appropriateness of corporal punishment intensified the association between parental corporal punishment and adolescents’ externalizing behaviors. Adolescents who perceived corporal punishment as appropriate were more likely to engage in externalizing behaviors. Moreover, no gender difference was identified in the moderating effects of adolescents’ perceived appropriateness of corporal punishment. Findings from the present study highlight the importance of adolescents’ subjective perceptions of corporal punishment, which may influence the negative outcomes associated with corporal punishment and can help improve interventions aimed at reducing these negative outcomes.