Perceptions of Child Maltreatment by Parents From the Indian Subcontinent: Challenging Myths About Culturally Based Abusive Parenting Practices

• NCJ Number: 206737
• Journal: Child Maltreatment Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2004 Pages: 309-324
• Author(s): Sarah Maiter; Ramona Alaggia; Nico Trocme
• Date Published: August 2004
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the perceptions of parents of South Asian descent regarding child discipline, maltreatment, and neglect.

Abstract

The increasing diversity of North America’s population has prompted researchers and child maltreatment professionals to be more aware of cultural differences regarding child discipline and differing perceptions of child maltreatment. However, there is scant research data to suggest that some cultures are more prone than others to employ abusive parenting practices. The current study relied on a mixed-method research approach to elicit questionnaire and focus group data from 29 parents of South Asian descent concerning their attitudes toward child discipline and their perceptions of what constitutes child maltreatment. The five focus groups were conducted with the use of vignettes that probed for perceptions about parenting, discipline, and supervision of children, as well as relevant cultural considerations. Results of qualitative thematic analysis of the questionnaires and focus group data, as well as descriptive statistical analysis of questionnaire data, indicate that South Asian parents do not differ significantly from parents of other ethnicities in terms of perceptions of appropriate parenting practices. Specifically, the persistent and excessive use of physical discipline was viewed as inappropriate, as was a lack of proper supervision and any parental behaviors thought to have a deleterious emotional impact on children. Participant parents also voiced reluctance to seek professional counseling for problems related to child abuse. Professionals in the child welfare field should be mindful of the fact that many populations feel uncomfortable about asking for help; other ways of reaching these populations need to be assessed. The findings thus revealed that maltreating behaviors are not culturally bound. Future research should make use of comparative data from a clinical sample of South Asian parents. Figure, appendix, references