Corporal punishment: Normative data and sociological and psychological correlates in a community college population

Abstract

Community college students (N=170) were surveyed regarding the intensity and frequency of methods of corporal punishment they have received and the persons administering the punishment. Results indicate that corporal punishment is a normatively used method of behavioral management. Males reported receiving a greater amount of corporal punishment, especially from their fathers. Overall, those who received a high amount of corporal punishment reported lower grades and a significantly greater number of problems, such as aggression, delinquency, depression, and anxiety. These findings are cause for concern and intervention.

Corporal Punishment by Mothers and Development of Children's Cognitive Ability: A Longitudinal Study of Two Nationally Representative Age Cohorts

“…For example, Straus and Stewart found that 94% of parents hit toddlers (Straus & Stewart, 1999), which is consistent with many other studies since Sears, Maccoby, and Levin reported a rate of 99% in 1957. Bryan and Freed (1982) found that 95% of community college students in their study had experienced CP. Numerous other studies (including Giles-Sims, Straus, & Sugarman, 1995;Goodenough, 1931Goodenough, /1975Holden, Coleman, & Schmidt, 1995;Wauchope & Straus, 1990) also have identified extremely high rates of CP.…”

Handbook of Child Abuse Research and Treatment

“…Although our country advocates for humane treatment of animals, national samples of parents suggest that more than 90% have physically punished their children (Straus et al, 1980;Wauchope & Straus, 1990). Retrospective studies report similarly that more than 90% of college-age participants report having experienced physical discipline when growing up (Bryon & Freed, 1982;Graziano & Namaste, 1990). These parental actions are supported by underlying parental beliefs; a 1988 National Opinion Survey reported that of the parents in the United States surveyed, more than 80% either agreed or strongly agreed that "It is sometimes necessary to discipline a child with a good , hard spanking" (Flynn, 1994).…”

Regional differences in spanking experiences and attitudes: A comparison of Northeastern and Southern college students

“…Studies that have focused on college students' experiences with spanking (Bryan and Freed, 1982;Deley, 1988;Graziano and Namaste, 1990) have revealed extremely high rates of corporal punishment, with 85-95% of students reporting that they had been hit at some point in their lives. The most comprehensive study of spanking using college students was conducted by Graziano and Namaste (1990), who surveyed 679 college freshmen in introductory psychology classes at a northeastern university.…”