Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ecological Predictors of Disciplinary Style and Child Abuse Potential in a Hispanic and Anglo-American Sample

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Child and Family Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recent attention to multicultural issues has sparked recognition that parenting is also a culturally construed phenomenon. The present study involved a diverse sample of 90 Anglo-American and Hispanic parents examining predictors based on distal/proximal levels as conceptualized in the ecological model. The study examined background characteristics (e.g., minority status, educational level, income), intrapersonal (anger, parenting competence, parenting satisfaction), and extrapersonal (social support) factors in the prediction of child abuse potential and dysfunctional disciplinary style. Parents participated anonymously in an in-home assessment. Neither minority status nor income predicted abuse potential or parenting style beyond what was accounted for by educational level. The pattern of findings for the sample suggests the relative importance of anger expression, parenting self-efficacy, and social support satisfaction in both abuse potential and disciplinary style for both Hispanic and Anglo-American parents. Future research directions with diverse samples are considered, including the need for measures specifically designed to assess parenting issues in diverse cultural groups.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ammerman, R. T. (1990). Etiological models of child maltreatment: A behavioral perspective. Special Issue: Child abuse and neglect. Behavior Modification, 14, 230–254.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold, D. S., O’Leary, S. G., Wolff, L. S., & Acker, M. M. (1993). The Parenting Scale: A measure of dysfunctional parenting in discipline situations. Psychological Assessment, 5, 137–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ateah, C. A., & Durrant, J. E. (2005). Maternal use of physical punishment in response to child misbehavior: Implications for child abuse prevention. Child Abuse & Neglect, 29, 169–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, C. K., Perilla, J. L., & Norris, F. H. (2001). Parenting stress and parenting competence among Latino men who batter. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 16, 1139–1157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumrind, D. (1972). An exploratory study of socialization effects on Black children: Some Black-White comparisons. Child Development, 43, 261–267.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belsky, J. (1980). Child maltreatment: An ecological integration. American Psychologist, 35, 320–335.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belsky, J. (1993). Etiology of child maltreatment: A developmental-ecological analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 114, 413–434.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buriel, R. (1993). Childrearing orientations in Mexican-American families: The influence of generation and sociocultural factors. Journal of Marriage and Family, 55, 987–1001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, Y. C. (1994). Parenting stress and social support of mothers who physically abuse their children in Hong Kong. Child Abuse & Neglect, 18, 261–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chao, R. K. (1994). Beyond parental control and authoritarian parenting style: Understanding Chinese parenting through cultural notion of training. Child Development, 65, 1111–1119.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Collett, B. R., Gimpel, G. A., Greenson, J. N., & Gunderson, T. L. (2001). Assessment of discipline styles among parents of preschool through school-age children. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 23, 163–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coohey, C. (2001). The relationship between familism and child maltreatment in Latino and Anglo families. Child Maltreatment, 6, 130–142.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corse, S. J., Schmid, K., & Trickett, P. K. (1990). Social network characteristics of mothers in abusing and nonabusing families and their relationships to parenting beliefs. Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 44–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crouch, J. L., & Behl, L. E. (2001). Relationships among parental beliefs in corporal punishment, reported stress, and physical child abuse potential. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24, 413–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darling, N., & Steinberg, L. (1994). Parenting style as context: An integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 487–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DePanfilis, D, & Zuravin, S. J. (1999). Predicting child maltreatment recurrences during treatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 729–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrari, A. M. (2002). The impact of culture upon child rearing and definitions of maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26, 793–813.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guidubaldi, J., & Cleminshaw, H. K. (1985). The development of the Cleminshaw-Guidubaldi Parent Satisfaction Scale. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 14, 293–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haskett, M. E., Scott, S. S., & Fann, K. D. (1995). Child abuse potential inventory and parenting behavior: Relationships with high-risk correlates. Child Abuse & Neglect, 19, 1483–1495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrenkohl, R. C., Herrenkohl, E. C., & Egolf, B. P. (1983). Circumstances surrounding the occurrence of child maltreatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 424–431.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hiott, A., Grzywacz, J. G., Arcury, T. A., & Quandt, S. A. (2006). Gender difference in anxiety and depression among immigrant Latinos. Families, Systems, & Health, 24, 137–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holden, E. W., & Banez, G. A. (1996). Child abuse potential and parenting stress within maltreating families. Journal of Family Violence, 11, 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korbin, J. E. (1997). Culture and child maltreatment. In M. E. Helfer, R. S. Kempe, & R. D. Krugman (Eds.), The battered child (5th ed., rev, pp. 29–48). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lassiter, R. F. (1987). Child rearing Black families: Child-abusing discipline? In R. L. Hampton (Ed.), Violence in the Black family: Correlates and consequences (pp. 39–53). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litty, C. G., Kowalski, R., & Minor, S. (1996). Moderating effects of physical abuse and perceived social support on the potential to abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 20, 305–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mammen, O., Kolko, D., & Pilkonis, P. (2003). Parental cognitions and satisfaction: Relationship to aggressive parental behavior in child physical abuse. Child Maltreatment, 8, 288–301.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mash, E. J., & Johnston, C. (1990). Determinants of parenting stress: Illustrations from families of hyperactive children and families of physically abused children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19, 313–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsumoto, D. (1993). Ethnic differences in affect intensity, emotion judgments, display rule attitudes, and self-reported emotional expression in an American sample. Motivation and Emotion, 17, 107–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medora, N., Wilson, S., & Larson, J. J. (2001). Attitudes toward parenting strategies, potential for child abuse, and parental satisfaction of ethnically diverse low-income U.S. mothers. Journal of Social Psychology, 141, 335–348.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milner, J. S. (1986). The child abuse potential inventory: Manual (2nd ed.). Webster, NC: Psyctec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milner, J. S. (1994). Assessing physical child abuse risk: The child abuse potential inventory. Clinical Psychology Review, 14, 547–583.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, M. C. (1990). Attachment antecedents and socio-cultural factors in Hispanic mothers’ physical abuse of their children. In K. Pottharst (Ed.), Research explorations in adult attachment. (pp. 129–198). NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramirez, J. M., Andreu, J. M., & Fujihara, T. (2001). Cultural and sex differences in aggression: A comparison between Japanese and Spanish students using two different inventories. Aggressive Behavior, 27, 313–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez, C. M., & Green, A. J. (1997). Parenting stress and anger expression as predictors of child abuse potential. Child Abuse & Neglect, 21, 367–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudy, D., & Grusec, J. (2001). Correlates of authoritarian parenting in individualist and collectivist cultures and implications for understanding the transmission of values. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 32, 202–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sidebotham, P. (2001). An ecological approach to child abuse: A creative use of scientific models in research and practice. Child Abuse Review, 10, 97–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simons, R. L., Beaman, J., Conger, R. D., & Chao, W. (1993). Childhood experience, conceptions of parenting, and attitudes of spouse as determinants of parental behavior. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 91–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D. (1988). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAXI). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D., Krasner, S. S., & Solomon, E. P. (1988). The experience, expression, and control of anger. In M. P. Janisse (Ed.), Health psychology: Individual differences and stress. New York: Springer Verlag Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2003). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (4th ed.). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Census Bureau. (2003). Hispanic population reaches all-time high of 38.8 million, new Census Bureau estimates show. (Available online at http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-100.html)

  • United States Department of Health, Human Services. (2006). Child Maltreatment, 2004. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uno, D., Florsheim, P., & Uchino, B. N. (1998). Psychosocial mechanisms underlying quality of parenting among Mexican-American and White adolescent mothers. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 27, 585–605.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Widenfelt, B. M., Treffers, P. D. A., de Beurs, E., Sibelink, B. M., & Koudijs, E. (2005). Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of assessment instruments used in psychological research with children and families. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 8, 135–147.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vaux, A., & Harrison, D. (1985). Support network characteristics associated with support satisfaction and perceived support. American Journal of Community Psychology, 13, 245–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whipple, E. E., & Richey, C. A. (1997). Crossing the line from physical discipline to child abuse: How much is too much? Child Abuse & Neglect, 5, 431–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zayas, L. H. (1992). Childrearing, social stress, and child abuse: Clinical considerations with Hispanic families. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 1, 291–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This project was supported by an Arizona State University Research and Creative Activities Grant.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Counseling and Counseling Psychology Program, University of Utah, 1705 East Campus Center Drive, Room 327, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-9255, USA

    Christina M. Rodriguez

Authors
  1. Christina M. Rodriguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christina M. Rodriguez.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rodriguez, C.M. Ecological Predictors of Disciplinary Style and Child Abuse Potential in a Hispanic and Anglo-American Sample. J Child Fam Stud 17, 336–352 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-007-9145-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-007-9145-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation