Prevalence, Severity and Chronicity of Corporal Punishment in Colombian Families

Abstract

Colombia is one of the countries where corporal punishment (CP) is not yet banned. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of CP in Colombia with respect to prevalence, severity and chronicity. We used the Spanish version of the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale to assess 853 parental reports on the use of CP against their children in the four major cities of the country: Barranquilla, Bogotá, Medellin and Cali. Analyses of variances and logistic regressions were performed. Socio-demographic variables that are predictors of the use of CP are parental age, the number of children in the household and age of the children. The results indicated a high rate of prevalence (77%) but low levels of severity and chronicity, as reported by Colombian parents. Our findings suggest that CP is a normalised practice, which might be linked to direct or indirect exposure to the long-lasting armed conflict (more than 50 years) that the country endured. Recommendations for social policies are presented, particularly the design and implementation of locally relevant interventions for the prevention of this practice.

Examining the Moderating Role of Parental Stress in the Relationship between Parental Beliefs on Corporal Punishment and Its Utilization as a Behavior Correction Strategy among Colombian Parents

“…The literature consistently shows that factors such as having many children, low levels of education, or a lower socioeconomic status contribute to increased tensions in parents, ultimately leading to the utilization of CP as a method for correcting children's behavior [33,70]. Given the demonstrated impact of these variables or situations on heightened stress levels, our focus was on exploring the moderating role of stress among various beliefs that parents uphold regarding CP and their reported use of it.…”

“…The findings from the study conducted by Trujillo et al [33] indicate that 77% of Colombian parents utilized CP at least once in the past year. A comparative analysis with data from other countries in the Latin American region underscores the high prevalence of CP in the Colombian population.…”

It Takes a Village: Challenges and Possibilities in Safeguarding Children in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries

“…Community resilience is a concept that may also be relevant to addressing the culture of violence portrayed in the paper by Angela Trujillo and colleagues (2020) from Columbia. These authors used the Spanish version of the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scale (Straus et al, 1998) to assess parental reports of the use of corporal punishment in the four major cities of the country.…”

“…However, as the authors point out, the peace agreement signed in 2016 offers some hope. In light of this, they suggest that ‘it is important to focus on everyday practices that are fostering other types of violence, particularly those among children, as the basis for achieving long‐lasting peace in society’ (Trujillo et al, 2020, p. 434).…”

The role of parental involvement in the development of prosocial behavior in young children: an evolutionary model among Colombian families

“…Therefore, parental involvement may constitute a protective factor for children's mental health in the Colombian context in which several risk factors are presented, including poverty, exposure to violence and war-related experiences, low parental educational levels, and negative parenting (Gómez-Restrepo et al, 2016). Also, there is evidence regarding the use of punitive practices among Colombian parents since early childhood (Trujillo et al, 2020) and reports of a high prevalence of conduct disorders in Colombian children (Encuesta Nacional de Salud Mental, 2015).…”