African American Families and the Role of Physical Discipline: Witnessing the Past in the Present

Abstract

The use of physical discipline within African American families is examined from a historical perspective within the context of institutionalized racism and racial disproportionality in the child welfare system. African American parenting strengths are explored, demonstrating that the use of physical discipline can be purposeful, controlled, and appropriate, utilized to protect African American children and instruct them how to behave and survive within a racist society. Available literature on corporal punishment is reviewed, and implications for culturally informed child welfare practice are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical discipline
• African American
• institutionalized racism
• disproportionality

Notes

1. For purposes of this discussion, the terms corporal punishment, physical punishment, and physical discipline refer interchangeably to “the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not injury, for the purposes of correction or control of the child's behavior” (Straus, 1994, p. 4).

2. In contrast to physical discipline, physical abuse is defined as a “nonaccidental physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), burning, or otherwise harming a child, that is inflicted by a parent, caregiver, or other person who has responsibility for the child” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2008, p. 2).