Parental use of physical force and its effect on delinquency

• In Event: Testing Theory and Exploring Crimes of High Public Concern through Cross-National Research (ISRD)

Abstract

In this panel we will present the preliminary outcomes of the multi-national ISRD-3 study on the relationship between children’s experience of physical maltreatment by parents and their delinquent behaviour.
Harsh physical parental discipline is among the most frightening experiences that children may have, placing them in an irresolvable paradox in which their attachment figures are simultaneously their source of safety and their source of fear. We are particularly interested in elaborating theoretically on the implications of parents’ violence and harsh physical treatment of children on violent and other delinquent behaviour of youth. What are the consequences of this parenting behaviour for the bonding with the parents, the supervision and control by the parents and the norm transmission by the parents? And does how this relate to delinquent behaviour? We speculate that parental reliance on physical discipline (ranging from milder forms such as a slap on the bottom to more extreme forms which may be viewed as child abuse) are correlated with the attenuation of parental attachments and less effective parental norm transmission, and higher youth involvement in delinquency and other risky behaviours. Our general contention is that this relationship will be observed cross-nationally, allowing for national variations in the magnitude of this relationship.

Authors

• Majone Steketee, Verwey-Jonker institute, The Netherlands

• Ineke Haen Marshall, Northeastern University