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Breaking the intergenerational cycle of physical punishment Sturkenboom, Gina Alicia

By: Material type: TextTextPublication details: Hamilton, [N.Z.] University of Waikato 2007Description: 167 p. ; computer file : PDF format (578Kb)Other title:
  • A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Social Sciences in Psychology at The University of Waikato
Subject(s): Online resources: Summary: This thesis presents the results of a study aimed at devising strategies to reduce the use of physical punishment in New Zealand. It draws on research with 20 adults (15 women and five men) who had been physically punished themselves, but who had decided not to hit their own children. Data was gathered in individual, semi-structured interviews, in which the participants' childhood physical punishment, their decision not to smack, the maintenance of that decision, and their use of alternative disciplinary techniques were discussed. Four of these participants then took part in a focus group in which the strategies suggested in the interviews were developed to produce a list of recommendations. The research topic is discussed in the context of potential problems with the use of physical punishment, the extent of its use in New Zealand, and the likelihood of intergenerational transmission. The research found that these parents had made a conscious decision against smacking, which involved a particular experience prompting them to consider their disciplinary approach. Negative views of smacking were helpful in making the decision. While maintaining the decision was usually easy, alternatives were sometimes hard to use, although effective in the long term. Strategies were recommended in relation to parent education, raising awareness, and reducing strain and increasing support for parents. Participants in the study also suggested practical steps that individual parents who were interested in breaking the cycle of physical punishment could take. The limitations and strengths of the study are discussed, as well as the implications for further research. The thesis demonstrates that parenting without physical punishment is effective, desirable, and achievable even by parents who were smacked themselves. It presents a number of possible strategies and intermediate goals for interventions at a national, community, or individual level, to reduce the use of physical punishment.
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Access online Access online Vine library Online Available ON13020169

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc--Psychology)--University of Waikato, 2007 Supervisor(s), Jane Ritchie and Darrin Hodgetts

This thesis presents the results of a study aimed at devising strategies to reduce the use of physical punishment in New Zealand. It draws on research with 20 adults (15 women and five men) who had been physically punished themselves, but who had decided not to hit their own children. Data was gathered in individual, semi-structured interviews, in which the participants' childhood physical punishment, their decision not to smack, the maintenance of that decision, and their use of alternative disciplinary techniques were discussed. Four of these participants then took part in a focus group in which the strategies suggested in the interviews were developed to produce a list of recommendations. The research topic is discussed in the context of potential problems with the use of physical punishment, the extent of its use in New Zealand, and the likelihood of intergenerational transmission. The research found that these parents had made a conscious decision against smacking, which involved a particular experience prompting them to consider their disciplinary approach. Negative views of smacking were helpful in making the decision. While maintaining the decision was usually easy, alternatives were sometimes hard to use, although effective in the long term. Strategies were recommended in relation to parent education, raising awareness, and reducing strain and increasing support for parents. Participants in the study also suggested practical steps that individual parents who were interested in breaking the cycle of physical punishment could take. The limitations and strengths of the study are discussed, as well as the implications for further research. The thesis demonstrates that parenting without physical punishment is effective, desirable, and achievable even by parents who were smacked themselves. It presents a number of possible strategies and intermediate goals for interventions at a national, community, or individual level, to reduce the use of physical punishment.

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