Survey on Public Attitudes Towards the Physical Discipline of Children

• NCJ Number: 196973
• Author(s): Sue Carswell
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 67 pages
• Corporate Author: New Zealand Ministry of Justice
• Sale Source: New Zealand Ministry of Justice
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: New Zealand

Annotation

This survey discusses public attitudes in New Zealand towards the physical discipline of children.

Abstract

In June 2001, a nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 adults was conducted that included proposed minimum samples of 100 Maori and 100 Pacific peoples. The survey questions were grouped into three different aspects of physical discipline: type of punishment, physical severity of punishment, and the acceptability of physical punishment of children of different age groups. The response rate was 59 percent. Results were analyzed using gender, ethnicity, age, parental status, and socioeconomic status. Results showed that 80 percent of the public agreed that a person parenting a child should be allowed by law to smack the child with an open hand. The use of objects to smack a child and smacking them in the head and neck area drew an overwhelmingly negative response from the public. The questions on severity of punishment ranged from a smack that left no mark through to physical punishment that required medical attention. Responses indicated that only a smack that left no mark was acceptable to the majority of people. Results also indicate that most respondents viewed punishing very young and older children as unacceptable. The response from women and men was very similar for the questions on type and severity of punishment. Those in the New Zealand European/Other ethnic grouping generally viewed it as more acceptable than either Maori or Pacific peoples to physically discipline children. Previous parents were more likely to find smacking with an open hand should be legally allowable than those who were currently parenting or those who had never parented. The youngest age group of respondents, those aged 18 to 29 years, were less likely to agree that smacking with an open hand should be legally allowable than the other age groups. Results suggest that there was no difference in attitudes between people with different socioeconomic status towards the physical discipline of children. 24 figures, 7 tables, 60 footnotes, 5 references, 5 appendixes