Physical Punishment at School in Three Educational Systems in Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12928/jehcp.v8i2.13188Abstract
A questionnaire was completed by 1,100 students (550 girls, mean age 13.3 years, SD 1.0; 550 boys, mean age 14.1, SD 1.0) from three types of schools in Pakistan; Urdu medium, Elite English medium, and Madrassa. It included scales measuring frequency of victimisation from physical punishment by a teacher, physical injuries from being punished by a teacher, negative feelings after physical punishment by a teacher, reasons for being punished by a teacher, and acceptance of physical punishment at school. Boys had significantly more often been victimised from physical punishment than girls, with boys from Madrassas being more often victimised than all other groups. Students from English medium schools scored significantly lower on all scales than students from the other schools. Girls reported a significantly more accepting attitude towards physical punishment at  school than boys. Students from Urdu medium schools scored significantly highest on acceptance of physical punishment at school, while boys from English mediums schools reported the significantly lowest level of acceptance. For both girls and boys, acceptance of physical punishment at school was positively correlated with the other scales.
References
References
Ahmad, I., Said, H., & Khan, F. (2013). Effect of corporal punishment on students’ motivation and classroom learning. Review of European Studies, 5, 130–134. doi:10.5539/res.v5n4p130
Ahmad, I., Said, H., Awang, Z., Yasin, M. A., Hassan, Z., Shafeq, S., & Mansur, S. (2014). Effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between corporal punishment and school dropout. Review of European Studies, 6, 196–200. doi:10.5539/res.v6n1p196
Arifi, M. S., & Rafi, M. S. (2007). Effects of corporal punishment and psychological treatment on students’ learning and behaviour. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 3, 171–180.
Aslam, M. (2009). The relative effectiveness of government and private schools in Pakistan: are girls worse off? Education Economics, 17, 329–354. doi:10.1080/09645290903142635
Becker, W. C., & Krug, R. S. (1964). A circumplex model for social behavior in children. Child Development, 35, 371–396. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.40.4.701
Benbenishty, R., Zeira, A., & Astor, R. A. (2002). Children’s reports of emotional, physical and sexual maltreatment by educational staff in Israel. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26, 763–782. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(02)00350-2
Boulton, J. J., & Underwood, K. (1992). Bully/victim problems among middle school children. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 62, 73–87. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8279.1992.tb01000.x
Brezina, T. (1999). Teenage violence towards parents as an adaptation to family. Youth and Society, 30, 416–444. doi:10.1177/0044118X99030004002
Brown, B. (2009). Perceptions of student misconduct, perceived respect for teachers, and support for corporal punishment among school teachers in South Korea: An exploratory case study. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 8, 3–22. doi:10.1007/s10671-008-9059-9
Buntain-Ricklefs, J. J., Kemper, K. J., Bell, M., & Babonis, T. (1994). Punishments: What predicts adult approval. Child Abuse & Neglect, 18, 945–955. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(05)80005-5
Clément, M. È., & Chamberland, C. (2014). Trends in corporal punishment and attitudes in favour of this practice: Toward a change in societal norms. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 33, 13–29, doi:10.7870/cjcmh-2014-013
Dawn. (2016, November 19). Teen paralysed due to alleged torture by teacher in Larkana. https://www.dawn.com/news/1297235
Dawn. (2017, May 11). Boy tortured at school dies. https://www.dawn.com/news/1332392
Delfabbro, P., Winefield, T., Trainor, S., Dollard, M., Anderson, S., Metzer, J., & Hammarström, A. (2006). Peer and teacher bullying/victimization of south Australian secondary school students: Prevalence and psychosocial profiles. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 71–90. doi:10.1348/000709904X24645
Douglas, E. M. (2006). Familial violence socialization in childhood and later life approval of corporal punishment: A cross-cultural perspective. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76, 23–30. doi:10.1037/0002-9432.76.1.23
Duckworth, A. L., & Seligman, M. (2006). Self-discipline gives girls the edge: Gender in self-discipline, grades, and achievement test scores. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 198–208. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.98.1.198
duRivage, N., Keyes, K., Leray, E., Pez, O., Bitfoi, A., Koç, C.,… Kovess-Masfety, V. (2015). Parental use of corporal punishment in Europe: Intersection between public health and policy. PLoS ONE 10(2): e0118059. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0118059
Fergusson, D. M., & Lynskey, M. T. (1997). Physical punishment/maltreatment during childhood and adjustment in young adulthood. Child Abuse & Neglect, 21, 617–630. doi:10.1016/S0145â€2134(97)00021â€5
Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity. (2012). Responsible conduct of research and procedures for handling allegations of misconduct in Finland. Helsinki: Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity
Flynn, C. P. (1994). Regional differences in attitudes toward corporal punishment. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 330–344. doi:10.2307/353102
Gershoff, E. T., & Bitensky, S. H. (2007). The case against corporal punishment of children: Converging evidence from social science research and international human rights law and implications for US public policy. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 13, 231‒272. doi:10.1037/1076-8971.13.4.231
Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children. (2019). Global progress. https://endcorporalpunishment.org/countdown/
Gracia, E., & Herrero, J. (2008). Is it considered violence? The acceptability of physical punishment of children in Europe. Journal of Marriage and Family,70, 210–217. doi:10.1111/j.1741â€3737.2007.00472.x
Hussain, A., Salfi, N. A., & Khan, T. M. (2011). Causes of students’ dropout at primary level in Pakistan: An empirical study. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1, 143–151.
Hyman, I. A. (1988). Eliminating corporal punishment in schools: Moving from advocacy research to policy implementation. Child Legal Rights, 15, 110–115.
Khoury-Kassabri, M. (2006). Student victimization by educational staff in Israel. Child Abuse & Neglect, 30, 691–707. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2005.12.003
Lansford, J. E., & Dodge, K. A. (2008). Cultural norms for adult corporal punishment of children and societal rates of endorsement and use of violence. Parenting, Science and Practice, 8, 257–270. doi:10.1080/15295190802204843
Leirvik, O. (2008). Religion in school, interreligious relations and citizenship: The case of Pakistan. British Journal of Religious Education, 30, 143–154. doi:10.1080/01416200701831069
MacMillan, H. L., Boyle, M. H., Wong, M. Yâ€. Y., Duku, E. K., Fleming, J. E., & Walsh, C. A. (1999). Slapping and spanking in childhood and its association with lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a general population sample. CMAJ, 161, 805–809.
McAlister, A., Sandström, P., Puska, P., Veijo, A., Chereches, R., & Heidmets, L. T. (2001). Attitudes towards war, killing, and punishment of children among young people in Estonia, Finland, Romania, the Russian Federation, and the USA. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 79, 382–387.
McCord, J. (1991). Questioning the value of punishment. Social Problems, 38, 190–200. doi:10.2307/800527
Morrell, R. (2001). Corporal punishment and masculinity in South African schools. Men and Masculinities, 4, 140–157. doi:10.1177/1097184X01004002003
Naz, A., Khan, W., Daraz, U., Hussain, M., & Khan, Q. (2011). The impacts of corporal punishment on students’ academic performance/career and personality development up-to secondary level education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2, 130–140.
Nazar, N., Österman, K., & Björkqvist, K. (2017). Religious tolerance, gender equality and bellicose attitudes: A comparative study of three educational systems in Pakistan. European Journal of Social Sciences, Education and Research 11, 126–135. doi:10.26417/ejser.v11i1.p126-135
Österman, K., Björkqvist, K., & Wahlbeck, K. (2014). Twentyâ€eight years after the complete ban on the physical punishment of children in Finland: Trends and psychosocial concomitants. Aggressive Behavior, 40, 568‒581. doi:10.1002/ab.21537
Pakistan Penal Code. (1860). Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860). http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/legislation/1860/actXLVof1860.html
Parke, R. D., & Slaby, R. G. (1983). The development of aggression. In E. M. Hetherington (Ed.), 4: Socialization, personality, and social development (pp. 547–641). New York: Wiley.
Patterson, G. R. (1982). Coercive family process. Eugene, OR: Castalia.
Plan Pakistan. (2013). Stopping the fear: Why teachers use corporal punishment. Islamabad Pakistan: Plan Pakistan.
Poole, S. R., Ushkow, M. C., Nader, P. R., Bradford, B. J., Asbury, J. R., Worthington, D. C., Sanabria, K. E., & Carruth, T. (1991). The role of pediatrician in abolishing corporal punishment in schools. Pediatrics, 88, 162–167.
Radke-Yarrow, M. R., Campbell, J. D., & Burton, R. V. (1968). Childrearing: An inquiry into research and methods. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Rahman, K., & Bukhari, S. R. (2006). Pakistan: Religious education and institutions. The Muslim World, 96, 323–339.
Rahman, T. (2004). Denizens of alien worlds: A survey of students and teachers at Pakistan's Urdu and English language-medium schools, and madrassas. Contemporary South Asia, 13, 307–326. doi:10.1080/0958493042000272212
Rahman,T. (2005). Passports to privilege: The English-medium schools in Pakistan. Peace and Democracy in South Asia, 1, 24–44.
Richmond, V. P. (1990). Communication in the classroom: Power and motivation. Communication Education, 39, 181–195. doi:10.1080/03634529009378801
Save the Children & UNICEF. (2005). Disciplining the child: Practices and impacts, NWFP: Schools and Literacy Department.
Shamim, F. (2008). Trends, issues and challenges in English language education in Pakistan. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 28, 235–249. doi:10.1080/02188790802267324
Simons, D. A., & Wurtele, S. K. (2010). Relationships between parents' use of corporal punishment and their children's endorsement of spanking and hitting other children. Child Abuse & Neglect. 34, 639–46. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2010.01.012
Skiba, R. J., Michael, R. S., Nardo, A. C., & Peterson, R. L. (2002). The color of discipline: Sources of racial and gender disproportionality in school punishment. The Urban Review, 34, 317–342. doi:10.1023/A:1021320817372
Steinmetz, S. K. (1979). Disciplinary techniques and their relationship to aggressiveness, dependency, and conscience. In W. R. Burr, R. Hill, F. I. Nye, & I. L. Reiss (Eds.), Contemporary theories about the family: Vol. 1 Research based theories (pp. 405–438). New York: Free Press.
Straus, M. A. (1991). Discipline and deviance: Physical punishment of children and violence and other crime in adulthood. Social Problems, 38, 133–154. doi:10.2307/800524
Straus, M. A. (2003). The primordial violence: Corporal punishment by parents, cognitive development, and crime. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira.
Theoklitoua, D., Kabitsis, N., & Kabitsi, A. (2012). Physical and emotional abuse of primary school children by teachers. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36, 64–70. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2011.05.007
Turner, H. A., & Finkelhorn, D. (1996). Corporal punishment as a stressor among youth. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58, 155–166. doi:10.2307/353384
Turner, H. A., & Muller, P. A. (2004). Longâ€term effects of child physical punishment on depressive symptoms in young adults: Potential moderators and mediators. Journal of Family Issues, 25, 761–782.doi:10.1177/0192513x03258313
UNCRC, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (1989). United Nations Treaty Collections. https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-11&chapter=4&lang=en
Vittrup, B., Holden, G. W., & Buck, J. (2006). Attitudes predict the use of physical punishment: A prospective study of the emergence of disciplinary practices. Pediatrics, 117, 2055–2064. doi:10.1542/peds.2005â€220
World Medical Association. (2013). Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA, 310, 2191–2194. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.281053
Youssef, R. M., Attia, M. S., & Kamel, M. I. (1998). Children experiencing violence. II. Prevalence and determinants of corporal punishment in schools. Child Abuse & Neglect, 22, 975–985. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(98)00084-2
Zeira, A., Astor, R. A., & Benbenishty, R. (2002). Sexual harassment in Jewish and Arab public schools in Israel. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26, 149–166. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(01)00314-3
Zolotor, A. J., & Puzia, M. E. (2010). Bans against corporal punishment: A systematic review of the laws, changes in attitudes and behaviours. Child Abuse Review, 19, 229–247. doi:10.1002/car.1131
