The importance of early life touch for psychosocial and moral development

One of the primary means of communicating with a baby is through touch. Nurturing physical touch promotes healthy physiological development in social mammals, including humans. Physiology influences wellbeing and psychosocial functioning. The purpose of this paper is to explore the connections among early life positive and negative touch and wellbeing and sociomoral development. In study 1, mothers of preschoolers (n = 156) reported their attitudes toward positive/negative touch and on their children's wellbeing and sociomoral outcomes, illustrating moderate to strong positive correlations between positive touch attitudes and children's sociomoral capacities and orientations and negative correlations with psychopathology. In study 2, we used an existing longitudinal dataset, with at-risk mothers (n = 682) and their children to test touch effects on moral capacities and social behaviors in early life. Results demonstrated moderate to strong relationships between positive/negative touch and concurrent child behavioral regulation and positive correlations between low corporal punishment and child sociomoral outcomes. In a third study with adults (n = 607), we found significant mediation processes connecting retrospective reports of childhood touch to adult moral orientation through attachment security, mental health, and moral capacities. In general across studies, more affectionate touch and less punishing touch were positively associated with wellbeing and development of moral capacities and engaged moral orientation. (AU)

Twenty-Five Years of Physical Punishment Research: What Have We Learned?

Over the past quarter century, research on physical punishment has proliferated. Almost without exception, these studies have identified physical punishment as a risk factor in children's behavioral, emotional, cognitive and brain development. At the same time, the United Nations has established that physical punishment constitutes a breach of children's basic human rights to protection and dignity. Together, research findings and human rights standards have propelled profound global change. To date, 51 countries have prohibited all physical punishment of children. In this article, we review the literature on physical punishment within its historical context, and provide recommendations for health professionals working with families.

O uso do castigo físico em crianças e adolescentes como prática educativa: algumas perspectivas da sociologia, filosofia e psicologia / The use of physical punishment in children and adolescents as an educational practice: some perspectives from sociology, philosophy and psychology / El uso del castigo físico en niños y adolescentes como práctica educativa: algunas perspectivas de la sociologia, filosofía y psicología

Com a finalidade de buscar subsídios teóricos para a discussão sobre o uso do castigo físico em crianças e adolescentes no Brasil foram feitas leituras de algumas obras da Sociologia, Filosofia e Psicologia. Em Durkheim foi possível perceber que a violência não coaduna com os propósitos educativos. Já, Kant considera que o aprimoramento da criança é a finalidade das punições físicas. Arendt contribui com o conceito de crise da autoridade nas famílias e Vigotski posiciona-se contra a palmada porque a criança deixa de fazer algo errado porque foi amedrontada ou humilhada e não porque entendeu o erro cometido. O castigo físico teria lugar, segundo Adorno, quando aplicado de forma consciente e sem originar-se no principio da violência. Com base nessas leituras foi possível concluir que o uso do castigo físico é uma temática que pede uma complexa discussão, se uma mudança sociocultural no Brasil quiser ser implementada.

In order to search for theoretical support to discuss the use of physical punishment in children and adolescents in Brazil, readings of some works of sociology, philosophy and psychology were made. In Durkheim it was possible to perceive that violence is not consistent with educational purposes. Kant considers that the improvement of a child is the purpose of physical punishments. Arendt contributed to the concept of crisis in family authority and Vigotski is opposed to spanking because the child does not do something wrong due to being frightened or humiliated, and he or she does not understand the error. Physical punishment would take place, according to Adorno, when applied consciously and without having as its origin the principle of violence. Based on these readings it was concluded that the use of physical punishment is an issue that calls for a complex discussion if a socio-cultural change in Brazil is to be implemented.

Con el fin de buscar fuentes teóricas para analizar el uso del castigo físico en los niños y adolescentes en Brasil, se realizaron lecturas de algunas obras de la sociología, la filosofía y la psicología. En Durkheim fue posible percibir que la violencia no es consistente con fines educativos. Kant considera que el propósito de los castigos físicos es la mejora de un niño. Arendt contribuyó com el concepto de crisis de autoridad familiar y Vigotski se opone a nalgadas porque el niño deja de hacer algo mal debido a tener miedo o ser humillado y no porque entiende el error. El castigo físico seria adecuado, según Adorno, cuando se lo aplica de manera consciente y sin tener como origen el principio de la violencia. Sobre la base de estas lecturas se concluyó que el uso del castigo físico es una cuestión que exige una compleja discusión si un cambio socio-cultural en Brasil debe ejecutarse.

Punição corporal aplicada por funcionários de duas escolas públicas brasileiras: prevalence in two public schools / Corporal punishment by school staff in Brazil: prevalencia en dos escuelas públicas Brasileñas / Castigo corporal por los empleados de escuelas

Esse estudo identificou casos de alunos vítimas de agressões físicas por parte de funcionários de escolas brasileiras e verificou sua relação com características demográficas, depressão e engajamento escolar. Responderam ao Questionário de Investigação de Prevalência de Violência Escolar, ao Inventário de Depressão Infantil e à Escala de Engajamento Escolar 396 estudantes de duas escolas públicas. No total, 21 alunos foram agredidos fisicamente por funcionários (AFF). Houve diferenças significativas entre o grupo AFF e o dos que não foram agredidos fisicamente (NAFF). No primeiro houve maior proporção de alunos do sexo feminino, de alunos violentos com os pares e de alunos vítimas de colegas, e maior índice de depressão. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos quanto aos aspectos idade, escolaridade, reprovação e engajamento escolar. Supõe-se que o aluno AFF apresente comportamentos de agressão aos colegas e funcionários da escola e que por isso seja agredido, o que o levaria a continuar sendo agressivo com os outros. Tal hipótese deve ser investigada em estudos futuros.

This study identified the prevalence of students who are victims of physical punishment by school staff in Brazil, and verified relations to demographic data, depression and school engagement. 396 students of two public schools answered the School Violence Prevalence Investigation Questionnaire, the Child Depression Inventory and the School Engagement Scale. Totally, 21 students were physically beaten by school staff. There were significant differences between the group of students victims of physical aggression (AFF) and the students that were not victims (NAFF): the former had a higher proportion of female students, students with violent peers, students victims of colleagues, and a higher rates of depression. There were not statistical differences between the groups in respect of gender, age, school background, school failure and school engagement. It is supposed that the student AFF has violent behaviors with peers and school staff and, therefore, which would lead him to continue being aggressive with others. This hypothesis should be investigated in future studies.

Este Este estudio identificó la prevalencia de estudiantes víctimas de castigo físico por los empleados de escuelas brasileñas y posibles relaciones con depresión, demografía y compromiso en la escuela. Respondieron a Cuestionario de Investigación de Prevalencia de Violencia Escolar, Inventario de Depresión para Niños y Escala de Participación Escolar, 396 estudiantes de dos escuelas públicas. En total, 21 estudiantes fueron golpeados físicamente por profesionales de la escuela. Hubo diferencias significativas entre el grupo de estudiantes golpeados para los que no fueron. En el primer grupo hubo una mayor proporción de estudiantes del género femenino, violentos con sus compañeros, víctimas de sus compañeros y mayor tasa de depresión. No hubo diferencias significativas entre los grupos de edad, escolaridad, participación y fracaso escolar. Se supone que el estudiante golpeado presente comportamientos agresivos a colegas y profesionales, por eso, sea atacado, lo que le llevaría a seguir siendo agresivos con los demás. Esta hipótesis se debe investigar en futuros estudios.

Corporal Punishment in Nepalese School Children Facts, Legalities and Implications.

While the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) demands that children be respected as human beings with the right to dignity and physical integrity, in Nepal corporal punishment is often considered necessary to children’s upbringing, to facilitate learning and to instill discipline in the children. The existence of this cruel practice towards children is attributed to the weak national policy, unhealthy academic competition among the schools, poorly trained teachers, superstitious traditional beliefs and hierarchical social structure. Consequently, the children are doomed to suffer this practice resulting in negative physical, mental and social welfare. Besides corporal punishment, sexual abuse in school going children seems to be frequent but mostly unreported. This is high time we eliminated this violence against children in schools and it calls for holistic approach. For this, it is necessary to pursue a set code of conduct and raise awareness among the teachers for the child rights in order to stop undignified, inhuman and undisciplined tradition. The awareness and capacity of the health professionals to deal with complexities of the child abuse also needs to be promoted. Furthermore, the need of improvements in the national laws and their proper implementation is a longstanding challenge for the governmental and nongovernmental organizations.

Maternal Depression Predicts Maternal Use of Corporal Punishment in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

PURPOSE: We sought to determine if maternal depression contributed to the use of corporal punishment in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). PATIENTS and METHODS: The data were gathered through chart review of clinic-referred children with ADHD and their mothers who were evaluated at a psychiatric clinic located in a large academic medical center in Seoul, Korea. Daily records kept by parents and 13 items from the Physical Assault of the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales (CTSPC) were used to assess corporal punishment. Ninety-one children with ADHD and their mothers were included in this study. RESULTS: Mothers who used corporal punishment showed significantly higher scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (t = -2.952, df = 89, p < 0.01) than mothers who did not. Moreover, maternal depression contributed to the use of corporal punishment in ADHD children (Nagelkerke R(2) = 0.102, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Maternal depression contributes to the use of corporal punishment with children with ADHD. Assessment and management of the maternal depression should be an important focus of evaluation of children with ADHD.

Influence of Parenting Self-efficacy and Belief in Corporal Punishment on Physical Abuse of Children in Korea / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: This survey was done to describe parenting self-efficacy and beliefs in corporal punishment as they are related to child abuse. Also demographic variables that influence child abuse were investigated. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the second week of April 2002. The 160 participants were parents of students in five elementary schools in the J area of Korea. They replied to a structured questionnaire, and 129 replies were included in the final analysis. The WIN SPSS program was used for the analysis. RESULT: Parenting self-efficacy, beliefs in corporal punishment and child abuse showed no significant differences according to gender of the children. Child abuse by parents has significantly negative correlation with parenting self-efficacy (r=-.369, p=.000), socioeconomic states of family(r=-.290, p=.001), educational level of mother(r=-.211, p=.027), educational level of father(r=-.342, p=.000), parent's age(r=-.200, p=.028). Stepwise multiple regression showed that parenting self-efficacy and beliefs in corporal punishment significantly influence child abuse in Korean parents. CONCLUSION: As parenting self-efficacy explained 49.7% of child abuse, it is the most important variable for preventing child abuse. Belief in corporal punishment was the second most important variable in preventing child abuse. These two variables explained 53.3% of variance in child abuse by parents.

Chlid Abuse in High-risk Group / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data on preventive child abuse program development. METHOD: Data were collected on 105 high-risk families of child abuse intervention was obtained from their main child rearer who raised the child under 18 years, olds during 10 months period from May, 2000 to March 2001. RESULT: The results were as follows : 1. Child abuse occurred in the subject's home, in the case of mild child abuse, 'throwing an object at the child' had the highest percentage 39.1%, in severe child abuse, 'rod, stick, belt, broom beating or using a variety of objects such as' had the highest percentage 49.5%, and in very severe child abuse, 'hospitalized by belting' had the highest percentage 3.8%. 2. The degree of child abuse potential showed high risk child abuse score with a mean of 213.3. The degree of beliefs in corporal punishment showed that subjects perceived corporal punishment of children positively with a mean of 32.2. 3. With respect to the child abuse potential, there were significant correlations with the subjects' age (r=.294, p=.002), education level (r=-.442, p=.000), and family income (r=-.355, p=.000). CONCLUSION: From this study not only child abuse occurrence but also child abuse potential were severely increased in poor livelihood families. Therefore to the high risk group, individual preventive approach must be applied.