Attitudes toward corporal punishment of children: the role of past experience, dark tetrad traits, and anger rumination

Chung, K. L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0012-8752, Tay, C. E., Gan, A. Z. Q. and Tan, C. S. N. (2022) Attitudes toward corporal punishment of children: the role of past experience, dark tetrad traits, and anger rumination. Journal of Individual Differences, 43 (2). ISSN 1614-0001 doi: 10.1027/1614-0001/a000364

Abstract/Summary

Despite corporal punishment being associated with negative developmental outcomes for children, it is commonly practiced in Malaysian courts, schools, and homes. This study examined the relationships among the Dark Tetrad personality traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, sadism), anger rumination, and attitudes toward corporal punishment of children. Two hundred sixty-three participants from a university and community sample in Malaysia completed measures of attitudes toward child corporal punishment, the Short Dark Tetrad, and the Anger Rumination Scale. Participants also answered questions about whether they received corporal punishment at home and school as children. Correlation analyses showed that Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism were positively associated with acceptance of corporal punishment. Further regression analyses revealed that having received corporal punishment at home – but not at school – during childhood as well as trait Machiavellianism and sadism predicted accepting attitudes toward corporal punishment. Identifying factors that influence people’s attitudes regarding corporal punishment and discipline behaviors could yield new insights into parenting education programs and policies.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/101677
Identification Number/DOI	10.1027/1614-0001/a000364
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology University of Reading Malaysia
Publisher	Hogrefe
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