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ERIC Number: EJ1145998
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Jul
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0165-0254
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Changing Attitudes about Spanking Using Alternative Biblical Interpretations
Perrin, Robin; Miller-Perrin, Cindy; Song, Jeongbin
International Journal of Behavioral Development, v41 n4 p514-522 Jul 2017
Social scientists are generally in agreement that spanking is not an especially effective method of discipline and is associated with a variety of behavioral and mental health problems in children. Interventions that have focused on disseminating this empirical research have met with some success in changing pro-spanking attitudes. However, given the strong connection between conservative Christian religious orientation and pro-spanking attitudes and behaviors, many conservative Christians may not be compelled by the empirical research. The current study examined the effectiveness of two interventions: an "empirical research intervention" that focused on the empirical evidence of the ineffectiveness and potential harm of spanking, and a "religion intervention" that provided a progressive interpretation of biblical passages that are sometimes used by Christians to justify spanking. A sample of 121 college students (87% female; 34% male; Mage = 20) attending a private, Christian, liberal arts university were randomly assigned to one of three intervention conditions: 1) Research Only, 2) Research and Religion, and 3) Control. Four weeks prior to the intervention sessions, students completed a demographic form and the Attitudes Toward Spanking (ATS) scale. Following the intervention, students completed the ATS scale a second time. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significant Time × Condition interaction for ATS scores, indicating that ATS scores decreased in both the Research Only condition (Mpre = 40.56, Mpost = 37.03) and the Research and Religion condition (Mpre = 41.23; Mpost = 33.29) but not the Control condition (Mpre = 40.17; Mpost = 40.78), F(2, 78) = 10.03, p = 0.001. Subsequent analyses indicated that ATS scores in both intervention conditions decreased compared to the control condition and that a greater decrease in favorable attitudes toward spanking was observed for the Research and Religion condition compared to the Research Only condition.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A