Conservative Protestantism and the Parental Use of Corporal Punishment

Abstract

The present study develops arguments linking Conservative Protestant affiliation and conservative beliefs about the Bible with the frequency with which physical punishment is used to discipline toddlers and preschoolers (ages 1–4) and older children (ages 5–11) and explores these ideas using data from the 1987–88 National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH). Multivariate results generally confirm that parents with conservative scriptural beliefs use corporal punishment more frequently than parents with less conservative theological views. Some modest net effects of Conservative Protestant affiliation are also observed. The study identifies several promising directions for future research on religious variations in child discipline.