Physical Discipline and Child Behavior Problems: A Study of Ethnic Group Differences

The Effects of Parenting Styles on Behavioral Problems in Primary School Children: A Cross-Cultural Review

“…Although some studies support an association between parenting styles and their child's outcomes, some evidence suggests that this relation may differ across cultures (Dai, 1999;Deater-Deater-Deckard, Dodge, Bates, & Pettit, 1996;Huntsinger & Jose, 2009;Leung et al, 1998;Polaha, 1999;Steinberg et al, 1991;Stormshak et al, 2000). For instance, physical discipline has been found to be positively associated with higher externalising and aggression scores in European American children, but in African American children this correlation was negligible and non-significant (Deater-Deckard et al, 1996).…”

Factors Influencing Female Caregivers' Appraisals of Their Preschoolers' Behaviors

“…Contrary to this, in a study of 63 African American families and 49 Caucasian families, strict and more frequent use of physical punishment reduced externalizing behavior in teacher reports for African American children but not Caucasian children (Polaha et al, 2004). In this study, all interactions with ethnicity were significant only when predicting teacher-rated behavior problems, indicating that either differences existed due to the child"s response to discipline techniques based on race or teacher perceptions of behavior were different based on the race of the child (Polaha et al, 2004).…”

“…In 108 African American families, authoritative parenting, which was defined as both strict and responsive to the child (clear rules but a willingness to be supportive of the child"s views), was found to be the most predictive of positive child outcomes as opposed to authoritarian (punitive and very strict) and permissive (few demands or restrictions) parenting styles (Querido et al, 2002). Contrary to this, in a study of 63 African American families and 49 Caucasian families, strict and more frequent use of physical punishment reduced externalizing behavior in teacher reports for African American children but not Caucasian children (Polaha et al, 2004). In this study, all interactions with ethnicity were significant only when predicting teacher-rated behavior problems, indicating that either differences existed due to the child"s response to discipline techniques based on race or teacher perceptions of behavior were different based on the race of the child (Polaha et al, 2004).…”

“…Race and family income have been researched as factors related to a preschool child"s behavioral problems in a number of large studies (Benzies, Harrison, & MagillEvans, 2004;Dooley & Stewart, 2007;Gross et al, 2008;Polaha, Larzelere, Shapiro, & Pettit, 2004;Querido et al, 2002;Tremblay et al, 2004). In one study, African American families were found to have fewer preschool child behavioral problems than Caucasian families (Kendall et al, 2005).…”

“…Parenting styles have been investigated as a link to preschooler"s behavioral problems in a few studies (Dooley & Stewart, 2007;Keown & Woodward, 2002;Polaha et al, 2004;Querido et al, 2002;Tremblay et al, 2004). In 108 African American families, authoritative parenting, which was defined as both strict and responsive to the child (clear rules but a willingness to be supportive of the child"s views), was found to be the most predictive of positive child outcomes as opposed to authoritarian (punitive and very strict) and permissive (few demands or restrictions) parenting styles (Querido et al, 2002).…”