Elsevier

Child Abuse & Neglect

Volume 25, Issue 3, March 2001, Pages 413-419
Child Abuse & Neglect

Brief communication
Relationships among parental beliefs in corporal punishment, reported stress, and physical child abuse potential

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(00)00256-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective: The present study examined the extent to which parental belief in the value of corporal punishment moderates the association between level of parenting stress and physical child abuse potential. Based on existing theory, it was expected that levels of parenting stress would be positively associated with physical child abuse potential among parents who reported high levels of belief in the value of corporal punishment.

Method: Forty-one parents (25 general population and 16 at-risk parents) were assessed for belief in the value of corporal punishment, level of parenting stress, and physical child abuse potential using self-report measures. After removal of respondents due to response distortion or missing data, the final sample consisted of 31 parents with valid and complete protocols. Based on their responses on the study measures, respondents were categorized as either high or low on belief in corporal punishment and parenting stress.

Results: Level of parenting stress was positively associated with physical child abuse potential. As expected, the interaction of parenting stress and belief in the value of corporal punishment was significant. Level of parenting stress was positively associated with physical child abuse potential among parents who reported high levels of belief in the value of corporal punishment. In contrast, level of parenting stress was not associated with physical child abuse potential among parents who reported low belief in the value of corporal punishment.

Conclusions: The present findings are consistent social information processing and stress and coping models of the etiology of physical child abuse, and underscore the importance of considering both parental cognitions and levels of parenting stress in assessing potential for physical child abuse.

Résumé

Objectif: Cette étude a mesuré jusqu’à quel point la croyance des parents en la valeur des châtiments corporels peut modérer l’association entre le niveau de leur stress en tant que parents et leur potentiel de maltraitance. A partir d’une théorie établie, on s’attendait à ce que les niveaux de stress parental puissent être associés positivement avec le potentiel maltraitant chez des parents qui avaient fait état d’un haut niveau de conviction concernant la valeur des châtiments corporels.

Méthode: Quarante -et -un parents (25 de la population générale et 16 parents à risque) furent soumis à une auto-évaluation de leur conviction concernant la valeur des châtiments corporels, du niveau de leur stress en tant que parents et de leur capacité à être maltraitants. Après avoir retiré les sujets présentant dans leurs réponses des distorsions ou des éléments manquants, l’échantillon final a consisté en 31 parents avec des protocoles valides et complets. Selon leurs réponses aux mesures de l’étude, les personnes interrogées furent rangées dans une catégorie haute ou basse concernant leur croyance en la valeur des châtiments corporels ou leur stress en tant que parents.

Résultats: Le niveau de stress parental apparut comme positivement associé avec le potentiel de maltraitance physique. Tel que prévu, l’interaction s’est montrée positive entre le stress parental et la croyance en la valeur des châtiments corporels. Le niveau de stress parental a été associé positivement avec le potentiel de maltraitance physique chez les parents ayant fait état de hauts niveaux de croyance en la valeur des châtiments corporels.

Conclusions: Les résultats présents constituent la révélation d’ une information sociale cohérente sur le stress et sur les modèles concernant la façon de l’aménager dans l’étiologie de la maltraitance. Ils sous-évaluent l’importance de considérer à la fois les connaissances des parents et les niveaux de stress parental dans l’évaluation de leur potentiel pour devenir maltraitants.

Resumen

Objetivo: Esta investigación examinó la medida en la que las creencias parentales acerca del valor del castigo fı́sico ejercen un efecto moderador en la asociación entre el nivel de estrés asociado a la paternidad/maternidad y el potencial de maltrato fı́sico infantil. En base a la teorı́a existente, se esperaba que los niveles de estrés parental estarı́an positivamente asociados con el potencial de maltrato fı́sico infantil entre los padres/madres que manifestaron altos niveles de creencia en el castigo fı́sico.

Método: Utilizando medidas de autoinforme, se evaluó la creencia en el valor del castigo fı́sico, el nivel de estrés asociado a la paternidad/maternidad y el potencial de maltrato fı́sico infantil, en una muestra de cuarenta y un padres/madres (25 de la población general y 16 alto-riesgo). Una vez eliminados los autoinformes con altas puntuaciones en los ı́ndices de distorsión de respuesta o datos perdidos, la muestra final quedó formada por 31 padres/madres con protocolos completos y válidos. En base a sus respuestas en las medidas de este estudio, los padres/madres se clasificaron como alto o bajo en las variables creencia en el castigo corporal y estrés parental.

Resultados: Se observó una asociación positiva entre el nivel de estrés asociado a la paternidad/maternidad y el potencial de maltrato fı́sico infantil. Tal como se esperaba, se observó una interacción significativa entre el estrés parental y la creencia en el valor del castigo fı́sico. El nivel de estrés parental estaba asociado positivamente con el potencial de maltrato fı́sico infantil entre los padres/madres que manifestaron altos niveles de creencia en el castigo fı́sico.

Conclusiones: Estos resultados son consistentes con el modelo del procesamiento de la información social y con el modelo de estrés y “coping” de la etiologı́a del maltrato fı́sico infantil, y subrayan la importancia de tener en cuenta tanto las cogniciones parentales como los niveles de estrés parentales en la evaluación del potencial de maltrato fı́sico infantil.

Introduction

Ecological and transactional models suggest that risk for physical child abuse is best understood as a dynamic construct that represents the confluence of characteristics of the individual, the family, and the larger social context Belsky 1993, Cicchetti and Rizley 1981. Characteristics of the parent, such as beliefs related to parenting (e.g., belief in the value of corporal punishment) as well as patterns of information processing related to child rearing situations (e.g., ability to integrate situational cues, appropriateness of expectations with regard to child compliance, etc.) are each thought to be related to risk for physical child abuse Milner 1993, Milner 2000.

Situational factors, such as high levels of stress, also may increase risk for a variety of types of maltreatment, including physical child abuse potential (e.g., Hillson & Kuiper, 1994). Further, under conditions of high stress parents may be more likely to engage in rapid, automatic information processing (vs. more controlled, flexible processing), which may increase the influence of basic belief structures on parenting behavior Milner 1993, Milner 2000. Thus, existing theory suggests that stress and beliefs regarding parenting (e.g., belief in the value of corporal punishment) may interact such that the association between parenting stress and risk for physical child abuse might vary depending on the parent’s belief in the value of corporal punishment. To examine this possibility, the present study assessed parents for belief in the value of corporal punishment, level of parenting stress, and physical child abuse potential. It was predicted that belief in the value of corporal punishment and level of parenting stress would interact in predicting physical child abuse potential. More specifically, it was predicted that among parents with high belief in the value of corporal punishment, but not among parents with low belief in corporal punishment, level of stress would be positively associated with physical child abuse potential.

Section snippets

Participants

Participants included in the present analyses took part in a larger study that examined the impact of instructional conditions on responses to parenting measures (Milner & Crouch, 1997). The larger project involved both general population and at-risk parents. General population participants included a convenience sample of parents recruited from the community. At-risk participants were parents who attended group treatment sessions offered by a secondary prevention program. The prevention

Procedure

The AAPI, PSI, and CAP were presented in a counter balanced order to general population and at-risk parents either individually or in small groups. At-risk, but not general population parents, were paid $10 for their participation. All parents were offered debriefing and provided a toll-free number that they could call to obtain more information about the study. In addition, each participant was provided a preaddressed, prepaid postcard (number coded to the participant’s data), which the

Results

The mean score on the AAPI Belief in Corporal Punishment scale was 34.51 (SD = 6.75). The mean PSI total stress score was 237.51 (SD = 46.26). Median splits were performed on the distributions for the AAPI Belief in Corporal Punishment scores (cut score = 35) and PSI total stress scores (cut score = 232), allowing for the creation of four groups of parents (nine parents with low belief in corporal punishment and low stress, seven parents with high belief in corporal punishment and low stress,

Discussion

Consistent with theory (e.g., Hillson and Kuiper 1994, Milner 1993, Milner 2000) and previous research (Abidin, 1995), level of stress related to parenting was significantly associated with physical child abuse potential. Results from the present study, however, suggest that the association between stress and physical child abuse potential may be moderated by the parents’ level of belief in the value of corporal punishment. Among parents who strongly believed in the value of corporal

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