Date of Award

August 2018

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Advisor(s)

Jaipaul L. Roopnarine

Keywords

Academic Skills, Child Outcomes, Fairness and Severity, Parental Warmth, Physical Punishment, Social Skills

Subject Categories

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Using the major tenets of interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory (IPARTheory), Baumrind’sparenting styles typologies and the Developmental Niche Model as guides, this study examined the moderating role of parental warmth on the associations between severity and fairness of physical punishment and preschool-aged children’s social and academic skills in families in the twin-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. The sample consisted of 191 mothers and 179 fathers, and their preschool-aged children from four diverse ethnic and socioeconomic communities. Mothers and fathers filled out a socio-demographic questionnaire, the parental acceptance-rejection questionnaire (PARQ-Short-Form), and the physical punishment questionnaire (PPQ). Teachers provided assessments of children’s early academic skills using the Child Development Index Card. Teachers also assessed children’s social skills by completing the Child Rating Questionnaire. Three questions were examined: (a) Do mothers and fathers differ in the use of different modes of physical punishment with boys and girls?(b) Does maternal warmth moderate the associations between maternal assessments of severity and fairness of physical punishment and children’s early social and academic skills? And, (c) Does paternal warmth moderate the associations between paternal assessments of severity and fairness of physical punishment and children’s early social and academic skills? Results indicate that mothers were more likely to slap, pull, and pinch children than fathers. Mothers and fathers did not differ in their use of different modes of physical punishment with boys and girls. There were no significant direct associations between paternal and maternal assessments of severity and fairness of punishment and children’s social and academic skills. Paternal and maternal warmth did not moderate the associations between paternal and maternal assessments of severity and fairness of punishment and children’s social and academic skills. Findings are discussed within the context of a children’s rights perspective.

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Open Access

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