ATTITUDES OF ACADEMIC PEDIATRICIANS WITH A SPECIFIC INTEREST IN CHILD-ABUSE TOWARD THE SPANKING OF CHILDREN

Objective: To evaluate the attitudes of academic child abuse professio nals toward spanking, the effect of context and mode of administration on their attitudes toward spanking appropriateness, and what they tea ch residents about spanking. Design: A survey. Participants: Convenien ce sample of 114 members of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association's Spe cial Interest Group on Child Abuse and Neglect. Main Outcome Measures: Respondents were asked if spanking was an appropriate disciplinary op tion for children 2, 5, and 8 years of age who refused to go to bed, r an into the streets without looking, or hit a playmate. Respondents al so rated the appropriateness of spanking in 6 additional scenarios whe re the setting in which spanking occurred was varied. Respondents' tea ching practices relative to spanking observed during a clinic visit we re also elicited. Results: The response rate was 70%; 39% thought span king was appropriate sometimes. The context and mode of spanking affec ted the acceptance of spanking. All respondents thought that some resp onse was appropriate when spanking was observed during a continuity cl inic visit. However, only 29% of respondents taught residents how to h andle such situations. Conclusions: Most academic child abuse professi onals believe that spanking is inappropriate and their beliefs are inf luenced by the context in which spanking occurs. Little is taught abou t how to manage spanking observed in a clinical setting.