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Attitudes justifying domestic violence predict endorsement of corporal punishment and physical and psychological aggression towards children: a study in 25 low- and middle-income countries.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Lansford, JE; Deater-Deckard, K; Bornstein, MH; Putnick, DL; Bradley, RH
Published in: The Journal of pediatrics
May 2014

The Convention on the Rights of the Child has prompted countries to protect children from abuse and exploitation. Exposure to domestic violence and corporal punishment are risk factors in children's development. This study investigated how women's attitudes about domestic violence are related to attitudes about corporal punishment and harsh behaviors toward children, and whether country-wide norms regarding domestic violence and corporal punishment are related to psychological aggression and physical violence toward children.Data were drawn from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, a nationally representative and internationally comparable household survey developed by the United Nations Children's Fund. Measures of domestic violence and discipline were completed by 85 999 female caregivers of children between the ages of 2 and 14 years from families in 25 low- and middle-income countries.Mothers who believed that husbands were justified in hitting their wives were more likely to believe that corporal punishment is necessary to rear children. Mothers who believed that husbands were justified in hitting their wives and that corporal punishment is necessary to rear children were more likely to report that their child had experienced psychological aggression and physical violence. Countrywide norms regarding the acceptability of husbands hitting wives and advisability of corporal punishment moderated the links between mothers' attitudes and their behaviors toward children.Pediatricians can address parents' psychological aggression and physical violence toward children by discussing parents' attitudes and behaviors within a framework that incorporates social norms regarding the acceptability of domestic violence and corporal punishment.

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Published In

The Journal of pediatrics

DOI

EISSN

1097-6833

ISSN

0022-3476

Publication Date

May 2014

Volume

164

Issue

5

Start / End Page

1208 / 1213

Related Subject Headings

  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Social Values
  • Punishment
  • Pediatrics
  • Mother-Child Relations
  • Humans
  • Health Surveys
  • Female
  • Domestic Violence
  • Developing Countries
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Lansford, J. E., Deater-Deckard, K., Bornstein, M. H., Putnick, D. L., & Bradley, R. H. (2014). Attitudes justifying domestic violence predict endorsement of corporal punishment and physical and psychological aggression towards children: a study in 25 low- and middle-income countries. The Journal of Pediatrics, 164(5), 1208–1213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.11.060
Lansford, Jennifer E., Kirby Deater-Deckard, Marc H. Bornstein, Diane L. Putnick, and Robert H. Bradley. “Attitudes justifying domestic violence predict endorsement of corporal punishment and physical and psychological aggression towards children: a study in 25 low- and middle-income countries.The Journal of Pediatrics 164, no. 5 (May 2014): 1208–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.11.060.
Lansford, Jennifer E., et al. “Attitudes justifying domestic violence predict endorsement of corporal punishment and physical and psychological aggression towards children: a study in 25 low- and middle-income countries.The Journal of Pediatrics, vol. 164, no. 5, May 2014, pp. 1208–13. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.11.060.
Journal cover image

Published In

The Journal of pediatrics

DOI

EISSN

1097-6833

ISSN

0022-3476

Publication Date

May 2014

Volume

164

Issue

5

Start / End Page

1208 / 1213

Related Subject Headings

  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Social Values
  • Punishment
  • Pediatrics
  • Mother-Child Relations
  • Humans
  • Health Surveys
  • Female
  • Domestic Violence
  • Developing Countries