Corporal Punishment: Parents Perception in District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

This paper shed light on parent’s psychological perception about children corporal punishment in District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 202 respondents (parents) were selected through simple random sampling procedure to portray information. Chi square χ2 and Gamma statistics were used to determine the level of association and strength and direction of relationship. Majority of the respondents i.e. 82.7% had opined that corporal punishment increases aggressiveness in children, it promotes depression (82.2%), fear and terror 153(75.7), eliminate confidence and damage IQ of children146 (72.3). Moreover, at bivariate level a positive (γ=.977) with significant relationship (P<0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment increases aggressiveness with corporal punishment. A positive (γ=.972) with significant relationship (P<0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment promotes depression with corporal punishment. Similarly, A positive (γ=.954) with significant relationship (P<0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment stimulate nervousness with corporal punishment. A positive (γ=.944) with significant relationship (P<0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment leads to fear and terror with corporal punishment. A positive (γ=.914) with significant relationship (P<0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment eliminate confidence with corporal punishment. A positive (γ=.913) with significant relationship (P<0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment damage IQ of children with corporal punishment. Apositive (γ=.915) with significant relationship (P<0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment decline feelings of sympathy with corporal punishment. It is concluded from the study findings that corporal punishment results in emotional distress, lack of confidence, increase aggressiveness, fear and terror, depression, damage IQ of children etc. Regular periodic refreshers courses need to be arranged by the education department to emphasize the worse effects of corporal punishment and certain psychological assessment tests of children at school by medical officers to mitigate the social and psychological distress, as resulted from use of corporal punishment.