Citation

Guttmann J, Lazar A, Makhoul S. Child. Soc. 2009; 23(6): 430-441.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, National Children's Bureau of the United Kingdom, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1099-0860.2008.00199.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present study examines the attitudes towards physical punishment (PP) and its actual use as reported by Christian Arab parents and their children in Israel. Participants were parents and one child (of at least two) in 50 Christian Arab families. Three questionnaires based on semi-structured interviews were developed for the study. Results show no difference in family members’ attitudes towards the use of PP. Whereas, the mean scores indicate ambivalent acceptance of this practice, the great majority of participants reported its frequent use. Mothers’ and fathers’ attitudes were found to be highly correlated and significant predictors of such behaviour. All three groups reported that mothers use PP much more than fathers do, although it was the fathers whom the children feared most. The results also show that the parents’ most frequent reaction to seven categories of children’s misbehaviour was verbal violence and the second most frequent reaction was PP. These and other results are discussed in the context of Arab culture in Israel, the social situation model and relevant research.