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Screening for harsh punishment in a pediatric primary care clinic

Susan Feigelman1, Howard Dubowitz, Wendy Lane

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 737 W. Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

Child Abuse & Neglect
|May 30, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Harsh punishment is prevalent in toddlers and concerning in infants. A brief screening measure shows variable utility for identifying harsh discipline, suggesting a need for universal counseling.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Child Psychology
  • Family Studies

Background:

  • Harsh punishment is a concern in child-rearing.
  • A brief screening measure's utility for identifying harsh discipline requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Determine the prevalence of harsh punishment in a pediatric clinic.
  • Assess the sensitivity, specificity, and stability of a brief screening measure for harsh discipline.

Main Methods:

  • A subset of families from a child maltreatment prevention study were recruited.
  • Parents completed a parent screening questionnaire (PSQ) and the Parent-Child Conflict Tactic Scale (CTSPC).
  • Responses were compared to determine the prevalence and screening measure's accuracy.

Main Results:

  • On the PSQ, 7% of infant parents and 32% of toddler/preschooler parents reported harsh discipline.
  • On the CTSPC, 14% of infants and 20% of older children experienced physical assault.
  • The PSQ demonstrated poor sensitivity for infants but moderate sensitivity for older children, with good specificity and adequate stability.

Conclusions:

  • Harsh punishment rates for older children align with existing literature.
  • The prevalence of infant punishment is a significant concern.
  • The PSQ has variable utility for screening harsh discipline; universal counseling may be needed until the measure is refined.
Abstract

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