The identification of teachers' subjective reports of stressors was investigated. Stress was defined as the teacher's subjective reception of demands from the environment. Teachers (N=53) were asked to list sources of stress and to respond to a questionnaire assessing teacher attitudes on corporal punishment and the stressful nature of teaching.…

Interviews with nationally representative samples of American (N=1,146) and Swedish (N=1,168) families revealed no significant differences between the countries in reported severe or abusive violence toward their children, in spite of the passage of an antispanking law in Sweden. In general, Swedish parents reported using less violence than…

In order to understand and evaluate the continued prevalence of corporal punishment in school systems, this article reviews the following topics: (1) historical issues; (2) current demographics and correlates; (3) the effectiveness of corporal punishment in school settings; (4) myths; (5) alternatives to corporal punishment; and (6) social policy.…

This paper discusses psychological test obstacles to gaining the acceptance of a diagnosis of mental retardation in criminal defendants, use of the Revised Beta intelligence test with defendants who may be retarded, possible modification of the adaptive behavior criterion for criminal defendants, and appropriateness of the death penalty for…

Discusses discipline in today's schools, examining common discipline problems, noting the effect of punishment; describing various disciplinary measures (peer mediation, peaceable schools, zero tolerance policies, and corporal punishment); emphasizing the importance of prevention versus punishment; discussing school safety; and highlighting the…

This article presents the processes and outcomes of a year of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support in a North Texas elementary school serving kindergarten through grade 3 students. Included is a description of a school treatment package that incorporated components such as facilitation of the teaming process, a lottery-type system of intermittent…

This study assesses levels of parent-child interaction, and the impact of poverty and parental stress, using data from a national survey of Jamaican parenting practices. It reveals that 1 in every 4 parents feels trapped/controlled by their responsibilities, with the poor at increased risk of experiencing high levels of stress and their children…

Empirical studies of early childhood educators' experiences with learning and implementing positive guidance skills are absent from the extant literature. This study explored this topic with 63 junior and senior level university students who were involved in concurrent instructional lecture and practicum experiences. Participants defined…

The nature of teaching exposes teachers to civil liabilities. In the process of teaching teachers need to discipline students who display bad behaviour. In disciplining the students, teachers use a variety of punishments including corporal punishment. Without knowledge of the legal implications of their actions, inadvertently they may find…

Many studies point to the importance of social information processing mechanisms in understanding distinct child behaviors such as aggression. However, few studies have assessed whether parenting might be related to such mechanisms. This study considers how aversive forms of parenting (i.e., corporal punishment, psychological control) as well as…

Effective discipline methods help children become considerate and responsible human beings. This book describes a way to discipline children without using force, fear, or punishment. Following an introduction, the book's seven chapters are: (1) "Learning How To Be Parents," which discusses the difficulties of parenting and the lack of…

Arguments against the use of corporal punishment in schools are presented in the three publications collected here. "The Influence of Corporal Punishment on Learning: A Statistical Study," by Adah Maurer and James S. Wallerstein, examines the relationship between rates of corporal punishment use and noncompletion of high school in the 50 states.…

Authors of childrearing texts suggest that punishment is a horrifying experience having no positive influence on human relations. Authors of psychology texts are not as opposed but indicate that punishment is not appropriate when one attempts to help children. While some researchers denounce the use of punishment, they also invite further…

To determine the attitudes of Latino parents toward school discipline of elementary children, a questionnaire was sent to families of 120 first, third, and fourth grade Latino students in a Chicago public school. The parents were Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans of low socioeconomic status; some were recent arrivals from Mexico and others were…

Punishment, and high and low value reinforcement were compared for effects on discrimination learning in elementary school boys. (DP)