The negative impact of physical violence against children is well established, but cultural norms surrounding appropriate acts of violence vary and aspects of one’s culture influence these behaviors. Given that the U.S. is multicultural, it is critical to examine which aspects of immigrants’ cultures are risky or protective for physical discipline. However, researchers who study the links between culture and physical punishment typically focus on one culture and the factors identified in one group are not explored in others. Research identifying potential common risk and protective factors across cultures does not yet exist. It also remains unclear what role acculturation plays for caregiver physical punishment.
This dissertation explores whether cultural factors such as norms, values, and beliefs that have been linked to physical discipline within certain cultures are applicable to different cultures, as well as what role acculturation and generation status plays. The first study addresses how caregivers’ filial piety, familism, and machismo attitudes are associated with students’ experiences of physical discipline. Findings indicate that caregivers’ machismo attitudes are a risk factor for physical punishment, while their beliefs about familism have mixed effects on students’ experiences of physical discipline. The second study uses three generations of Taiwanese-origin mothers to examine how immigration and growing up bicultural influences mothers’ risk and protective factors for physical discipline. As mothers become more acculturated to the U.S., they are less likely to hit their children. However, for all three groups, mothers prefer to use non-violent methods of discipline. Further, various risk and protective factors at differing levels of proximity to the child coexist and play a role in mothers’ choices to use physical discipline and some of these factors persist across generations, while others are unique to a generation.
These findings highlight some of the cultural factors that may exacerbate or buffer caregiver physical discipline for different populations. It broadens our understanding of cultural influences on parenting and sheds light on areas to intervene on and prevent caregiver violence, which will be meaningful for programs and policies hoping to reduce corporal punishment and physical abuse across a multicultural population.
