Maternal understanding of child discipline and maltreatment in the United States, South Korea, and Japan

The purpose of this study is to examine American, Korean, and Japanese mothers' perceptions of maltreatment, and the factors influencing those perceptions in the context of general parenting and discipline. Through a cross-cultural comparative approach, we hope to identify potential universalit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Children and youth services review 2017-11, Vol.82, p.444-454
Main Authors: Son, Heimi, Lee, Young Ae, Ahn, Dong Hyun, Doan, Stacey N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitudes
Behavior
Child abuse & neglect
Childrearing practices
Children
Comparative analysis
Corporal punishment
Cross cultural studies
Cross-cultural understanding
Cultural differences
Cultural factors
Discipline
Emotional abuse
Everyday life
International comparisons
Maternal perception
Mothers
Neglect
Parents & parenting
Perceptions
Physical abuse
Punishment
Questionnaires
Vignettes
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Summary:The purpose of this study is to examine American, Korean, and Japanese mothers' perceptions of maltreatment, and the factors influencing those perceptions in the context of general parenting and discipline. Through a cross-cultural comparative approach, we hope to identify potential universalities as well as cultural specific perceptions of parenting behaviors. For this purpose, a total of 153 mothers with a child aged 3 to 6years participated in the current study. Participants came from East Coast of the United States (N=48); Seoul, Korea (N=65); Japan (Tokyo and Saitama) (N=40). A modified version of a previously established questionnaire (Ahn, Park, & Lee, 1998) assessed mothers' attitudes toward multiple disciplinary behaviors. This questionnaire presented 17 specific vignettes describing disciplinary scenarios that could occur while disciplining children in everyday life, some of which could be perceived as physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Results of the study suggest significant differences between groups in terms of maternal perceptions of maltreatment and the factors influencing maternal perceptions. American mothers reported the highest mean score among the three countries in perceiving discipline centered on corporal punishment as physical abuse. Korean mothers displayed a dual attitude of perceiving the scenario as maltreatment, but also rating it as likely to occur in everyday life. Japanese mothers showed the most permissive attitude toward harsh parental behaviors among the three countries on the grounds that they considered a strict and punitive attitude as a method of discipline. Overall, mothers of all three countries had the lowest scores for perceiving the vignette corresponding to neglect as maltreatment. •American mothers make the most sensitive perceptions about physical abuse.•Korean mothers have a dualistic attitude toward discipline and maltreatment.•Japanese mothers show the most permissive attitude toward harsh parental behaviors.•Mothers of all three countries have the lowest perceptions of neglect.
ISSN:0190-7409
1873-7765
DOI:10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.10.015