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Prevalence and Unintended Consequences of Corporal Punishment in Northern Ireland: Evidence to Support the Introduction of an Educational Prohibition?

Áine E McKenna

Implementation rates for corporal punishment (CP) are problematically high in Northern Ireland (NI).The government has resisted introducing legislative changes to ban corporal punishment despite repeated calls from the UNCRC. This study examined (1) links between CP and adult psychopathology and (2) characteristics of implementers and cycle breakers. Data were from 1,986 adults who completed the NI Study of Health and Stress. CP, maltreatment and parental bonding were queried using validated measures. Assessment of psychiatric disorders was based on DSM-IV criteria. Logistic regression analysis, population attributable fractions (PAFs), and chi -square tests of independence were conducted. Exposures were significantly linked with mood disorders and substance use disorders (SUDs). Forty four per cent of parents implemented CP. Maintainers (21.6%) and cycle breakers (4.7%) were more likely to have reported physical abuse, exposures to domestic violence and suffer from SUDs. Cycle breakers were more likely to be married and to have been exposed to child sexual abuse (CSA). Eliminating exposures to CP may significantly reduce the prevalence of psychopathology, particularly SUDs. Prohibition should be flanked by ongoing educational media campaigns to effectively reduce CP implementation. Targeted capacity building supports should be considered for parents who themselves were exposed to certain childhood adversities.