Parenting practices and attitude toward punishment: a comparison between Italians and immigrants

Journal title MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL’INFANZIA
Author/s Angelica Arace, Donatella Scarzello, Cristiano Occelli
Publishing Year 2013 Issue 2013/1 Language Italian
Pages 21 P. 37-57 File size 695 KB
DOI 10.3280/MAL2013-001003
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The present study aimed at, with cross-cultural perspective, analyzing the differences in parental educational practices, with a particular focus on attitudes towards the physical discipline and use of corporal punishment. 123 parents (61 mothers and 62 fathers) of children of school age, 52% Italians and 48% immigrants, completed a self-report questionnaire about beliefs, educational values, parenting practices and disciplinary strategies. With regards to results, 1) no cultural differences were found in parental beliefs about physical discipline and frequency of use of corporal punishment; 2) in both samples, physical discipline is associated with a lack of emotional support, parental anger and impulsivity; 3) cultural differences in the association between parent’s gender, parenting styles and use of physical punishment were found; 4) child gender and number of children influence the parent’s use of physical punishment.

Keywords: Disciplinary practices, corporal punishment, educational values, ethnic differences

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  • Parental practices of Italian mothers and fathers during early infancy: The role of knowledge about parenting and child development Donatella Scarzello, Angelica Arace, Laura Elvira Prino, in Infant Behavior and Development /2016 pp.133
    DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2016.06.006

Angelica Arace, Donatella Scarzello, Cristiano Occelli, Pratiche educative genitoriali e orientamento alla punizione: un confronto tra italiani e immigrati in "MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL’INFANZIA" 1/2013, pp 37-57, DOI: 10.3280/MAL2013-001003