Study of Marital Relationship Factors and Individual Psychological Characteristics that Predict Physical Punishment of Children

(This study received initial funding from NCEDL, however it is being completed by Martha Cox. Email her for more information.)

Investigators: Martha Cox (Martha_Cox@unc.edu)

Project staff: Korrel Kanoy, Beril Ulku-Steiner, Margaret Burchinal

Background: Harsh physical discipline in the family has been linked to negative school-related outcomes such as poor school performance, poor peer relations, high noncompliance, and delinquency (Patterson, Reid, & Dishion, 1992). Most parents in the United States rely on physical punishment when disciplining their young children.

Researchers estimate that between seventy and ninety percent of American parents spank or slap their preschoolers (Simons, Johnson, & Conger, 1994; Straus, 1983) with some nonabusive parents spanking as often as 5 times per day (Barber, 1992). The potential risks for children associated with such parenting behavior in the transition from infancy to the toddler years include an increased chance of child psychological distress (Rohner, Kean, & Cournoyer, 1991) increased rates of childhood aggression (Lazerle, 1986; Strassberg, Dodge, Pettit, & Bates, 1994), and an increased desire to defy the parents and others (Bettelheim, 1985).