Use Of Corporal Punishment Research Articles

Focus on Positive Behavior Support : Preventing the Use of Corporal Punishment

Focus on Positive Behavior Support : Preventing the Use of Corporal Punishment

Change in Corporal Punishment Over Time in a Representative Sample of Canadian Parents.

Corporal punishment is a controversial form of discipline. Although its prevalence appears high, legal reforms and public education efforts to limit corporal punishment may be resulting in a decrease in its prevalence and frequency of use. This study drew on Canadian nationally representative data to understand the social change that might be happening and to characterize parents who continue to use corporal punishment. The study relied on cross-sectional data from Cycles 1 (1994) to 8 (2008) of the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth to examine parental reports of corporal punishment for children ages 2–11 years. Analyses were conducted separately for 2- to 5-, 6- to 9-, and 10- to 11-year-olds, and sociodemographics associated with corporal punishment were examined. A significant decrease in the prevalence and frequency of corporal punishment use was observed across time for all age groups. Child sex, parent age, employment status, family structure, household size, immigration status, ethnicity, and religion significantly distinguished parents who use corporal punishment from those who do not, but there was variability across the age groups. Effect sizes question the relevance of the observed decrease in corporal punishment from an applied perspective. Approximately 25% of Canadian parents still use corporal punishment with children ages 2–11 years; therefore, it remains an issue that merits continued attention. Certain child, parent, and family characteristics seem to characterize parents who use corporal punishment, but other more dynamic variables may be important to consider, such as parental stress and their attitudes toward corporal punishment.

Irritable bowel syndrome and its associated factors in adolescents

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a commonfunctional gastrointestinal disorder. Increasing prevalences havebeen reported in Asian adolescent populations, however, therehave been few reports on Indonesian adolescents.Objective To investigate the prevalence of IBS and associatedfactors among adolescents in Jakarta.Methods This cross-sectional study included senior high schoolstudents in a district of Jakarta. Students were asked to fillquestionnaires based on the Rome III criteria for IBS. They werethen divided into groups: those with IBS and those without IBS,for the purposes of comparison.Results Out of 232 adolescents (145 females and 87 males) withmean age of 16.06 (SD 0.91) years, 14 (6.0%) had IBS. Elevenout of 14 adolescents with IBS reported upper abdominal painas well as periumbilical/lower abdominal pain. Irritable bowelsyndrome was not associated with socioeconomic status, food anddrink habits, the use of antibiotics, or scolding as a parental formof discipline. However, a significant higher proportion in the useof corporal punishment was found in IBS adolescents comparedto the non-IBS (P=0.034). In addition, stress related to scolding,as a parental form of discipline was more likely to be found in theIBS group than in the non-IBS group (P=0.019).Conclusion The prevalence of IBS among adolescents in Jakartais 6%, which is lower compared to those of other Asian countries.Corporal punishment at home and stress related to scolding athome are found to be associated with IBS.

Perceptions of Teachers on the Ban of Corporal Punishment in Pre-Primary Institutions in Kenya

The purpose of the study was to investigate perceptions of teachers on the ban of corporal punishment in pre-primaryinstitutions. The objectives of the study were to investigate teachers’ attitudes towards corporal punishment ban inpre-schools and to establish whether the level of education of teachers had an influence on the use of corporalpunishment. A descriptive survey design was used. Stratified sampling was used to select the pre-schools; simplerandom sampling was applied to select all the teachers in the pre-schools. Data was collected through questionnairesand analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Major findings indicated that: 71% agreed thatreasonable corporal punishment is beneficial to the pre-school learners; 80% of the pre-school teachers used corporalpunishment to maintain order in the classroom; Teachers perceived negatively the outlawing of corporal punishment;the level of teachers’ education had no influence on the use of corporal punishment. The instances when corporalpunishment was used by teachers were non-academic. The results form a basis of re-thinking the initial teacherstraining curriculum and subsequent in-service training in regard to classroom disruptions and how best they could behandled. As changes occur in educational setting, courses for training of teachers in the initial course, inductioncourse or later in-service courses must reflect such changes and support and develop relevant skills in the staff uponwhom these changes will impinge. The teacher trainee ought to be exposed to other methods of behaviourmodification and these methods should have their own content and well researched.

Trends in Corporal Punishment and Attitudes in Favour of This Practice: Toward a Change in Societal Norms

Over 10 years ago, Quebec's statistical institute, the Institut de la Statistique du Québec, conducted its first population survey on family violence in the lives of children. Taken again 5 years later (2004), the survey showed a decrease in the use of corporal punishment of children. This paper presents the results of the third survey, which was conducted by telephone in 2012 with a representative sample of 4,029 maternal figures. More specifically, this paper presents the evolution of prevalence rates for corporal punishment and attitudes in favour of this practice as observed between the 3 surveys conducted in 1999, 2004, and 2012. The paper also presents the associations found between mothers’ attitudes and their reports of corporal punishment. The results show that attitudes and practices are closely associated and that corporal punishment has been in a constant and significant decrease since 1999, regardless of the children's age. Supported by a decrease in maternal attitudes in favour of this practice, the results are discussed in terms of changes in Quebec's social norms.

Understanding, action, and the use of the cane in Sri Lankan schools

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the use of corporal punishment in schools in Sri Lanka, and to offer reflections on how cybernetics could shed light on its persistence despite initiatives to ban it. Design/methodology/approach – The ASC 2013 Heinz von Foerster Award for the most significant contribution to the conference was awarded following discussion of the use of the cane in Sri Lankan schools. This paper provides a personal account of difficulties in overcoming the use of corporal punishment in a school in Sri Lanka. Findings – The Sri Lankan education system is introduced. The response of the ASC 2013 is discussed. The feedback between social forces and the education system is seen as being too complex for analysis, and Bateson's conception of ethos is proposed as an appropriate starting point for making progress on this issue. Social implications – The use of corporal punishment has been forbidden by the Ministry of Education, but the practice evidently continues and there is evidence that this has negative impact on young people. The paper offers an approach to understanding the reasons for the prevalence and persistence of corporal punishment, as a first step towards designing measures to eliminate it. Originality/value – The paper takes a new approach to understanding the persistence of corporal punishment in Sri Lanka by applying Bateson's concepts of ethos and schismogenesis.

Irritable bowel syndrome and its associated factors in adolescents

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a commonfunctional gastrointestinal disorder. Increasing prevalences havebeen reported in Asian adolescent populations, however, therehave been few reports on Indonesian adolescents.Objective To investigate the prevalence of IBS and associatedfactors among adolescents in Jakarta.Methods This cross-sectional study included senior high schoolstudents in a district of Jakarta. Students were asked to fillquestionnaires based on the Rome III criteria for IBS. They werethen divided into groups: those with IBS and those without IBS,for the purposes of comparison.Results Out of 232 adolescents (145 females and 87 males) withmean age of 16.06 (SD 0.91) years, 14 (6.0%) had IBS. Elevenout of 14 adolescents with IBS reported upper abdominal painas well as periumbilical/lower abdominal pain. Irritable bowelsyndrome was not associated with socioeconomic status, food anddrink habits, the use of antibiotics, or scolding as a parental formof discipline. However, a significant higher proportion in the useof corporal punishment was found in IBS adolescents comparedto the non-IBS (P=0.034). In addition, stress related to scolding,as a parental form of discipline was more likely to be found in theIBS group than in the non-IBS group (P=0.019).Conclusion The prevalence of IBS among adolescents in Jakartais 6%, which is lower compared to those of other Asian countries.Corporal punishment at home and stress related to scolding athome are found to be associated with IBS.

Punição corporal e problemas comportamentais em adolescentes

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between corporal punishment in the family environment and behavioral problems in adolescents. Fifteen primary and secondary students aged 12 to 15 years old with aggressive behaviors at school participated in the study. The teenagers were interviewed about disciplinary practices used by their parents. The occurrence of corporal punishment was reported and the main reasons for this relate the lack of obedience to the involvement in situations of violence at school. Corporal punishment occurs by means of spanking, blows, and kicks which cause reactions of anger, sadness and fear as well as the understanding that their parents were stressed at the moment of the aggressive acts. Reports approving the use of corporal punishment in a moderate form were identified, which highlight the intergenerational transmission of violence, however, the discipline of behaviors through dialogue was considered important. The results highlight that corporal punishment used in the family context presents repercussions in aggressive behaviors of adolescents in school. Keywords: adolescence, corporal punishment, disciplinary practices.

Mother–Adolescent conflict in African American and European American families: The role of corporal punishment, adolescent aggression, and adolescents' hostile attributions of mothers' intent

The present study examined mothers' use of corporal punishment and adolescents' aggression as predictors of mother–youth conflict during early adolescence. Particular attention was given to the potential mediating role that adolescents' hostile attributions of intent (HAI) regarding mothers' behavior might play in connections between corporal punishment, youth aggression, and mother–adolescent conflict for European American (EA) and African American (AA) youth. Data were collected from 268 12- to 14-year-olds (154 European American; 114 African American; 133 girls; 135 boys) and their mothers over a period of 2 years. Questionnaires completed by both mothers and adolescents were used to assess maternal corporal punishment and adolescent aggression, and interviews concerning hypothetical situations were used to assess adolescent HAI in year one. In both year one and year two mother–adolescent conflict was observed in a laboratory interaction session. Data revealed that adolescent HAI mediated the link between maternal corporal punishment and mother–adolescent conflict for EA, but not AA youth. Adolescents' HAI mediated the link between adolescent aggression and mother–adolescent conflict for both EA and AA families.

English

Global and national concerns that corporal punishment is still being used, openly in certain milieus and surreptitiously in others, suggests that education stakeholders need to take cognisance of teachers’ perceptions and experiences that influence their classroom discipline in the context of changing curriculum policies and legislation. This study was guided by research objectives that explored, firstly, teachers perceptions of their past experiences of corporal punishment and, secondly, their perceptions of their disciplinary techniques since the abolition of corporal punishment. Through a qualitative research methodology of semi-structured interviews, data were collected from seven primary school teachers in KwaZulu-Natal. Teachers’ perceptions of their experiences and practices of corporal punishment were explored through two dimensions of the Foucauldian concept of bio-power, namely, disciplinary power and governmentality. The findings show that although all teachers experienced corporal punishment negatively when they were pupils, their responses to the abolition of corporal punishment were varied, multiple and complex. Recommendations for further research include exploring the resilience of authoritarian teaching approaches and teacher professional development of learner-centred approaches to curb teacher frustration that contributes to their use of corporal punishment.

Understanding the mediating role of corporal punishment in the association between maternal stress, efficacy, co-parenting and children's adjustment difficulties among Arab mothers

This study, guided by the Family Systems Theory, examines the direct effect of maternal use of corporal punishment on children's adjustment difficulties. Also, it explores whether corporal punishment serves as a mediating factor in the relationship between several maternal characteristics, marital relationships, and children's adjustment difficulties. A total of 2,447 Arab mothers completed anonymous, structured, self-report questionnaires. The use of corporal punishment was generally strongly supported by the Arab mothers in our sample. A greater likelihood of using corporal punishment was found among mothers of boys rather than girls, among mothers with lower perceived self-efficacy to discipline children, and among mothers with a lower perception of their husbands’ participation in child-related labor. In addition, the higher a mother's reports on disagreement with her husband about discipline methods and the stronger her level of maternal stress, the more likely she was to use corporal punishment. Corporal punishment also mediated the association between the above mentioned factors and child adjustment difficulties. Furthermore, a husband's emotional support and family socioeconomic status were directly associated to children's adjustment difficulties. The results of the current study emphasize the need to observe children's development within the context of their family systems and to consider the mutual influences of different subsystems such as marital relationships and mother–child interactions. Prevention and intervention programs should raise parents’ awareness concerning the harmful effects of corporal punishment and take into account the impact of dynamic transactions of parental conflicts and disagreements regarding discipline methods on child outcomes.

Extra-curricular school sport (Bukatsu) and corporal punishment in Japan

In many nations corporal punishment has been eliminated from education and sport. In Japan, however, use of corporal punishment is increasing, and it is considered by many to be a traditional custom. The influence of military training in the imperial army was important, as its ideals permeated families and schools. Bukatsu (extra-curricular school sport) has long occupied an important position in education and sport promotion in Japan. Since the end of 2012, corporal punishment in Bukatsu and sport clubs has been highlighted as a major social problem which the government demonstrated an urgent desire to address, not least at the time of the IOC vote in September 2013 to decide the venue for the 2020 Olympics. Tokyo was the chosen candidate; however, the problem of corporal punishment in Bukatasu has not simply disappeared, and its causes continue to require serious social scientific investigation.

PROMOTING NON-VIOLENT PARENTING AMONG REFUGEE MOTHERS IN DURBAN

This research began by examining the attitudes and behaviour of mothers from the Durban refugee community regarding the use of corporal punishment in bringing up children. Its use was found to be widespread and frequent among a sample of 50 mothers. A training course in non-violent parenting was designed and administered to 16 mothers. A very preliminary evaluation suggests that there were significant shifts of attitude among the participants in favour of non-violent parenting.

Teacher Responses to School Violence in Cape Town, South Africa

Although researchers have been interested in the psychological impact of school and community violence on children in South Africa, little work has been done on the effects of exposure to school violence on teachers. de Wet’s exploratory study of South African teachers and administrators is an exception, although her focus was on student bullying of school personnel that included violence, rather than violence per se. Because there is so little research on the impact of school violence on educators in South Africa, we took an exploratory approach conducting four focus groups (and one in-depth interview) to investigate the impact of school violence on educators. Specifically, the research focused on school violence and its social and psychological effects from the perspective of educators in South Africa. The research also included a standardized measure of exposure to violence and victimization, and a measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eight major themes emerged in the focus groups and interview; the most common theme was frustration and the fourth most common theme was actually teacher aggression and the use of corporal punishment as a response to learner violence. The findings are discussed in the context of violence in postapartheid South Africa, and in terms of social–psychological theories of violence and sociological perspectives on “mock” bureaucracy and role breadth. Possible interventions to reduce social and psychological distress as well as school violence are also discussed.

Corporal punishment and its effects in children

Corporal punishment in children is still a major problem throughout the globe and more common in developing countries like Nepal. Several researches done across the globe have clearly established the fact that use of corporal punishment at home, school or alternative settings is associated with higher prevalence of externalizing behaviour of youth, substance use, depression, juvenile delinquency, poor academic performance and marital conflict as an adult. Authors have reviewed the journals, websites and books to find out the magnitude of problem in the national as well as international context. It has also looked at the long-term and short term adverse effects of corporal punishment in children, current legislative status, and suggested strategies to discipline children. Reinforcing legal actions against this practice can contribute to expedite the process to end corporal punishment of children globally with strong advocacy from paediatricians and other health professionals.Journal of Kathmandu Medical College Vol. 2, No. 3, Issue 5, Jul.-Sep., 2013 Page: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v2i3.9968Uploaded date : 3/4/2014

The Meanings Jamaicans Associate with Corporal Punishment

This study examined the meanings Jamaicans associate with corporal punishment and its perceived effects on children, caregivers’/parents’ relationship with children and in a broader sense, Jamaican culture. A total of 183 readers’ comments on 13 articles that focused on corporal punishment—published in a prominent Jamaican online newspaper—were qualitatively analysed. The results indicated that not all Jamaicans engage in or embrace the use of corporal punishment. There is a clear divide between Jamaican individuals who practise corporal punishment and those who believe it is socially unacceptable. Those in favour of it reported that it was religiously justified and effective as a method of discipline. Opponents of this view highlighted the negative physical and mental effects of corporal punishment on children and provided alternative discipline methods that were less punitive and more responsive to the needs of children and the parent–child relationship. Implications of the results are discussed.

Gender-based Violence in Primary Schools in the Harare and Marondera Districts of Zimbabwe

KEYWORDS Gender. Violence. Psychological Abuse. Physical Abuse. Sexual Abuse. Child Labour. Culture of Silence. Primary Schooling ABSTRACT Gender-based violence is violence directed against any person on the basis of gender, including acts that inflict physical, mental or sexual harm or threats of such acts. Although any person is a risk, women and girls are the primary victims of gender-based violence. Informed by womanist theory, this paper reports on a qualitative study of gender-based violence in Zimbabwean primary schools. Participants were twenty girls who had been victims of gender-based violence enrolled in primary schools in the Harare and Marondera districts of Zimbabwe selected by purposeful sampling and a chain referral. Data was gathered by semi-structured interviews and visual tools. Findings provide a comprehensive picture of gender-based violence in primary schools. This is manifested in acts of physical violence, particularly the unsanctioned use of corporal punishment, psychological violence and sexual abuse. School grounds harbour unsafe and poorly supervised areas where violence may occur and reporting routes for incident are ineffective. Perpetrators include teaching and non-teaching staff and peers. An insidious form of gender-based violence is embedded in child labour practices in the school and the community. Gender-based violence damages girls' health, social and psychological development and impedes learning. Further, gender-based violence is perpetuated by a culture of silence informally maintained by victims, teachers, peers and parent and by the school's weak compliance with protective policies.

The Social and Economic Impact of Corporal Punishment in South African Schools

Many South African and some schools elsewhere are consumed with violence. This study explored the social and economic impact of corporal punishment was conducted in two secondary schools in Umlazi, South Africa. This study is underpinned by the power and social control theory. The data collection relied on diverse methods which were: semi-structured interviews, documentation reviews, and observation schedules. The study revealed that both schools experienced different types and levels of violence. The types of violence that affected the schools predominantly were physical violence, particularly the use of corporal punishment on learners. This study found that some teachers are verbally, physically and psychologically violent towards learners, particularly in the way that corporal punishment as a 'corrective measure' is applied despite strict laws against it. The study concluded that both learners and teachers cited the widespread use of corporal punishment on learners. Learners were faced with multiple challenges of both physical and psychologically types of violence, these includes cleaning of the yard, cleaning of toilets and lastly received corporal punishment as a main tool of eliminating learner misconducts to reinforce control on learners.

Gender-based Violence in Primary Schools in the Harare and Marondera Districts of Zimbabwe

KEYWORDS Gender. Violence. Psychological Abuse. Physical Abuse. Sexual Abuse. Child Labour. Culture of Silence. Primary Schooling ABSTRACT Gender-based violence is violence directed against any person on the basis of gender, including acts that inflict physical, mental or sexual harm or threats of such acts. Although any person is a risk, women and girls are the primary victims of gender-based violence. Informed by womanist theory, this paper reports on a qualitative study of gender-based violence in Zimbabwean primary schools. Participants were twenty girls who had been victims of gender-based violence enrolled in primary schools in the Harare and Marondera districts of Zimbabwe selected by purposeful sampling and a chain referral. Data was gathered by semi-structured interviews and visual tools. Findings provide a comprehensive picture of gender-based violence in primary schools. This is manifested in acts of physical violence, particularly the unsanctioned use of corporal punishment, psychological violence and sexual abuse. School grounds harbour unsafe and poorly supervised areas where violence may occur and reporting routes for incident are ineffective. Perpetrators include teaching and non-teaching staff and peers. An insidious form of gender-based violence is embedded in child labour practices in the school and the community. Gender-based violence damages girls' health, social and psychological development and impedes learning. Further, gender-based violence is perpetuated by a culture of silence informally maintained by victims, teachers, peers and parent and by the school's weak compliance with protective policies.

Corporal punishment and children's externalizing problems: A cross-sectional study of Tanzanian primary school aged children

The adverse effect of harsh corporal punishment on mental health and psychosocial functioning in children has been repeatedly suggested by studies in industrialized countries. Nevertheless, corporal punishment has remained common practice not only in many homes, but is also regularly practiced in schools, particularly in low-income countries, as a measure to maintain discipline. Proponents of corporal punishment have argued that the differences in culture and industrial development might also be reflected in a positive relationship between the use of corporal punishment and improving behavioral problems in low-income nations. In the present study we assessed the occurrence of corporal punishment at home and in school in Tanzanian primary school students. We also examined the association between corporal punishment and externalizing problems. The 409 children (52% boys) from grade 2 to 7 had a mean age of 10.49 (SD=1.89) years. Nearly all children had experienced corporal punishment at some point during their lifetime both in family and school contexts. Half of the respondents reported having experienced corporal punishment within the last year from a family member. A multiple sequential regression analysis revealed that corporal punishment by parents or by caregivers was positively related to children's externalizing problems. The present study provides evidence that Tanzanian children of primary school age are frequently exposed to extreme levels of corporal punishment, with detrimental consequences for externalizing behavior. Our findings emphasize the need to inform parents, teachers and governmental organizations, especially in low-income countries, about the adverse consequences of using corporal punishment be it at home or at school.