Background: Psychopaths are not only antisocial, but also have a callous and unemotional personality profile. This article selectively reviews evidence that psychopathic personality traits are an important factor in understanding and predicting the development of persistent antisocial conduct. Cognitive neuroscience research and more tentative…

In the eighties, elder abuse cases became of paramount concern to policy makers and those working in fields serving older adults. Very little research, however, has examined how the justice system handles cases of elder abuse. In this paper, the results of a study assessing how various professionals recommended punishing those who harm elderly…

Ten children's views from New Zealand were investigated on the use of physical discipline in a small study that was an adaptation of a larger study conducted in 1998 by Willow and Hyder in the United Kingdom. This paper reports on children's views of smacking as a method of discipline in New Zealand families. A significant finding is that…

Dr. Deanna Pledge is a licensed psychologist and professional counselor. She has worked in public and private settings for over a decade. She has been working with teens, children, and adults around abuse issues for the past ten years, and has written "When Something Feels Wrong: A Survival Guide About Abuse." In this interview she answers a…

Studies in Hong Kong indicated that there is a tendency for young children to use internalizing as a means to cope with their daily difficulties. Mother-child relationship has been seen as a factor affecting a child's adaptive coping skills. In this study, we explored the prevalence of internalizing problems among primary school children in Hong…

This research examines the individual-level and contextual correlates of punitive attitudes in the United States. Prior research suggests that the demographic composition and economic conditions of geographic areas influence public support for punitive policies. Yet, these findings rest on assumptions about individual perceptions of minority…

Whether or not subjects can simulate mental retardation, a consideration that has implications in criminal cases, was studied using 21 adult Caucasian males between 20 and 30 years of age, largely comprised of students and staff employees of the University of New Mexico. Subjects were asked to give genuine and simulated responses to two major test…

Preservice teachers' beliefs about scholastic physical punishment are explored with regard to four issues: (1) administration of such punishment in schools; (2) providing students with procedural due process prior to the use of such punishment; (3) permitting the administration of such punishment only upon securing parental or guardian permission;…

The Current Controversies series explores many social, political, and economic controversies, presenting the discussions in debate format. This volume focuses on youth violence. As youth violence escalates, concern grows over the safety of the neighborhoods, the victims of violence, and the future of violent youths themselves. The 35 selections in…

In many western countries, corporal punishment has been abolished as a form of punishment in criminal trials and in schools. Under South African common law, persons entitled to enforce discipline may inflict corporal punishment within certain guidelines established by the Supreme Court. For the first time in the Republic of South Africa (RSA), the…

This study sought to examine the structure and consistency of perceptions of behavior deceleration procedures within populations, provide a preliminary "index" of acceptability, determine if these procedures can be categorized into meaningful groups, and examine the consistency of perceptions across populations. Subjects were 20…

One prediction derived from observational learning theory is that children learn parental-role behaviors by observing parental models. Variables which strongly influence behavior acquisition and performance during observational learning are the behavioral consequences of an action, and the sex of the behavioral model. To evaluate the effects of…

This examination of the use of aversive techniques as a form of "therapy" for people with mental handicaps includes 12 articles by specialists who argue that the use of aversive procedures is socially, ethically, legally, and scientifically untenable as well as 3 ancedotal case studies by a patient advocate and 2 personal accounts by…

The school effectiveness movement stresses a safe and orderly learning environment for students. Concern for students' and parents' legal rights, coupled with recent criticism of school practices regarding corporal punishment, suspension, and expulsion, has spawned research into theoretical, practical, and legal implications related to pupil…

This study examined the relationship of the age and gender of the child, and the occupational status and gender of the parent, to the incidence and frequency of physical punishment and two levels of physical abuse of children, as measured by the minor, severe, and very severe violence indexes of the Conflict Tactics Scales. The subjects were…