Journal of Interpersonal Violence
Volume 30, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 475-498

Spanking of Young Children: Do Immigrant and U.S.-Born Hispanic Parents Differ? (Article)

Lee S.J.* , Altschul I.
  • a University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
  • b University of DenverCO, United States

Abstract

Building on prior research showing fewer parenting risk behaviors and lower levels of harsh punishment among less acculturated Hispanic parents, we tested the hypothesis that foreign-born (FB; immigrant) Hispanic parents use less spanking toward children at 3 years and 5 years of age than U.S.-born Hispanic parents. We also examined whether other indicators of acculturation—endorsement of traditional gender norms and religiosity—showed any direct or indirect effects in explaining the hypothesized association. Path model analyses were conducted with a sample of Hispanic mothers (n = 1,089) and fathers (n = 650). Cross-sectional and time lagged path models controlling for a wide range of psychosocial and demographic confounds indicated that, when compared with U.S.-born Hispanic parents, FB Hispanic mothers and fathers used less spanking toward their young children. In cross-sectional analysis only, mothers’ greater endorsement of traditional gender norms had small protective effects on spanking. Although fathers’ endorsement of traditional gender norms was not a significant direct predictor of spanking, there was a significant indirect effect of nativity status on spanking mediated by endorsement of traditional gender norms. Religiosity showed no relation to spanking for either mothers or fathers. Immigrant status may be an important protective factor that is associated with lower levels of parenting aggression among Hispanic mothers and fathers living in the United States. © The Author(s) 2014.

Author Keywords

etiology cultural contexts Child abuse Physical abuse family issues and mediators

Index Keywords

human ethnology Hispanic Americans Cross-Sectional Studies cross-sectional study migrant psychology Hispanic Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation punishment preschool child Child, Preschool Child Rearing female cultural factor Parenting Child Abuse child parent relation

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84920516907&doi=10.1177%2f0886260514535098&partnerID=40&md5=b051f5de79b78ebaac8b6998e630079c

DOI: 10.1177/0886260514535098
ISSN: 08862605
Cited by: 14
Original Language: English