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Ethnic differences in the link between physical discipline and later adolescent externalizing behaviors.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Lansford, JE; Deater-Deckard, K; Dodge, KA; Bates, JE; Pettit, GS
Published in: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines
May 2004

Parents' use of physical discipline has generated controversy related to concerns that its use is associated with adjustment problems such as aggression and delinquency in children. However, recent evidence suggests that there are ethnic differences in associations between physical discipline and children's adjustment. This study examined race as a moderator of the link between physical discipline and adolescent externalizing behavior problems, extending previous research beyond childhood into adolescence and considering physical discipline at multiple points in time.A representative community sample of 585 children was followed from pre-kindergarten (age 5) through grade 11 (age 16). Mothers reported on their use of physical discipline in the child's first five years of life and again during grades 6 (age 11) and 8 (age 13). Mothers and adolescents reported on a variety of externalizing behaviors in grade 11 including aggression, violence, and trouble at school and with the police.A series of hierarchical linear regressions controlling for parents' marital status, socioeconomic status, and child temperament revealed significant interactions between physical discipline during the child's first five years of life and race in the prediction of 3 of the 7 adolescent externalizing outcomes assessed and significant interactions between physical discipline during grades 6 and 8 and race in the prediction of all 7 adolescent externalizing outcomes. Regression slopes showed that the experience of physical discipline at each time point was related to higher levels of subsequent externalizing behaviors for European American adolescents but lower levels of externalizing behaviors for African American adolescents.There are race differences in long-term effects of physical discipline on externalizing behaviors problems. Different ecological niches may affect the manner in which parents use physical discipline, the meaning that children attach to the experience of physical discipline, and its effects on the adjustment of children and adolescents.

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Published In

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines

DOI

EISSN

1469-7610

ISSN

0021-9630

Publication Date

May 2004

Volume

45

Issue

4

Start / End Page

801 / 812

Related Subject Headings

  • Violence
  • Temperament
  • Punishment
  • Mother-Child Relations
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Ethnicity
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • Child, Preschool
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Lansford, J. E., Deater-Deckard, K., Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., & Pettit, G. S. (2004). Ethnic differences in the link between physical discipline and later adolescent externalizing behaviors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 45(4), 801–812. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00273.x
Lansford, Jennifer E., Kirby Deater-Deckard, Kenneth A. Dodge, John E. Bates, and Gregory S. Pettit. “Ethnic differences in the link between physical discipline and later adolescent externalizing behaviors.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines 45, no. 4 (May 2004): 801–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00273.x.
Lansford JE, Deater-Deckard K, Dodge KA, Bates JE, Pettit GS. Ethnic differences in the link between physical discipline and later adolescent externalizing behaviors. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines. 2004 May;45(4):801–12.
Lansford, Jennifer E., et al. “Ethnic differences in the link between physical discipline and later adolescent externalizing behaviors.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, vol. 45, no. 4, May 2004, pp. 801–12. Epmc, doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00273.x.
Lansford JE, Deater-Deckard K, Dodge KA, Bates JE, Pettit GS. Ethnic differences in the link between physical discipline and later adolescent externalizing behaviors. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines. 2004 May;45(4):801–812.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines

DOI

EISSN

1469-7610

ISSN

0021-9630

Publication Date

May 2004

Volume

45

Issue

4

Start / End Page

801 / 812

Related Subject Headings

  • Violence
  • Temperament
  • Punishment
  • Mother-Child Relations
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Ethnicity
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • Child, Preschool