The intergenerational transmission of corporal punishment: A comparison of social learning and temperament models. Child Abuse and Neglect

Abstract--This family study examined two models regarding the intergenerational tr nsmission of corporal punish-ment. The model based on social earning assumptions a serted that corporal punishment influences aggressive child behavior. The model based on temperament theory suggested that aggressive child behavior impacts upon parental use of corporal punishment. Participants were 1,536 parents of 983 college students. Corporal punishment was assessed from father, mother, and child perspectives. Path analyses revealed that the social earning model was most consistent with the data. Key Words--Child abuse, Child maltreatment, Corporal punishment, Temperament, Social learning