Communication and Corporal Punishment: The Relationship Between Parents' Use of Verbal and Physical Aggression

Abstract

ABSTRACT A two-part study was conducted to determine the relationship between parents' use of verbal and physical aggression (i.e., corporal punishment). In part one, 151 undergraduate students filled out a survey rating their mother' and father' verbal aggression and use of corporal punishment. In part two, mail surveys measuring verbal aggression were sent to 280 parents; 67% of parents returned the surveys. There were significant positive relationships between both perceived mother and perceived father verbal aggression and all measures of corporal punishment, but the only correlation that reached significance with regard to the self-report parent data was between mother' verbal aggression and the most severe instance of corporal punishment. Results and implications of this study are discussed.