Original scientific paper
Correlation Between Parental Upbringing and Corporal Punishment of Children
Tena Velki
; Učiteljski fakultet, Osijek, Hrvatska
Monika Bošnjak
; Učiteljski fakultet, Osijek, Hrvatska
Abstract
The goal of this research was to examine parents’ attitudes towards upbringing practices
and their connection with corporal punishment. Furthermore, we have tested the
frequency of corporal punishment and abuse of primary school children. In this research
we used a questionnaire of beliefs about desirable parental practices towards
young children and the corporal punishment scale. 190 parents of elementary
school children took part in this research. The results have shown that parents believe
in active participation in their children’s upbringing. They also believe that obedience
and subordination of children to their parents is important. In addition, they mostly
agree that attending to baby’s crying is justified; however, when it comes to demands
and restrictions, they are not sure whether they have to provide justifications and believe
that corporal punishment is justified to some extent. The results have also
demonstrated that corporal punishment of children is the most frequent among parents,
followed by physical abuse, and a very small incidence of serious abuse. No
statistically significant correlation between the conviction of the importance of parents’
participation in upbringing and physical punishment has been shown. However,
there is a significant positive correlation between the parents’ belief that children
should be obedient and subordinated to them, that induction is unnecessary, the belief
that not attending to baby’s crying is not justified and the belief that corporal punishment
is justified. Tolerance toward corporal punishment and its justification are important
risk factors for such behaviour and for corporal punishment which is, in addition
to violating the rights of children, connected to a variety of adverse developmental
outcomes.
Keywords
parents; upbringing practices; corporal punishment; physical abuse; abuse
Hrčak ID:
95244
URI
Publication date:
17.12.2012.
Visits: 7.586 *