Research Perspectives on School Corporal Punishment of Students With Disabilities: A Systematic Mixed-Studies Review

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 3:35 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Investigating Behavior Through a Culturally Responsive Lens for Students With Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders (Table 3)

Abstract

In the U.S., the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provides specific safeguards for students with disabilities. Yet, they remain unprotected from corporal punishment and are more likely to experience it than their non-disabled peers (Gershoff et al., 2015). To strengthen policy and research interactions on this issue, this paper investigates changes in researchers’ stance toward school corporal punishment of students with disabilities and examines researchers’ arguments for supporting their stance. Findings reveal researchers have been increasingly opposed to school corporal punishment, citing evidence including arguments regarding: (a) human rights, (b) equity, (c) pragmatics, and (d) policy. Implications for research and policy are discussed.

Authors

• Xinxia Li, The George Washington University

• Elisabeth Kutscher, The George Washington University