Context | Elinor Lim

Although all parents in the sample used physical punishment, opinions were mixed on its acceptability and effectiveness.
Parents cited their own upbringing and judicial caning as factors that encouraged their use of physical punishment.
Physical punishment’s unmatched ability to elicit immediate compliance also incentivised its use by parents.
Parents’ use of physical punishment is driven by factors such as the child’s age, transgression, and their mood and stress.
A majority of parents described intense feelings of guilt and regret after administering physical punishment.