Mother and father self-reports of corporal punishment and severe physical aggression toward clinic-referred youth

Examined the extent to which 359 mothers and 140 fathers of clinic-referred youth (ages 2 to 17) reported using corporal punishment and severe physica l aggression when asked directly via intake screening questionnaires at a c ommunity mental health center; higher prevalence rates emerged compared to families in the general population. Clinic-referred parents reported greate r use of corporal punishment for younger relative to older youth, sons rela tive to daughters, and by single relative to married mothers. In cases with reports from both parents, mothers used corporal punishment more frequentl y than fathers. Demographic factors were not linked to severe physical aggr ession, except for mothers' treatment of sons versus daughters. After contr olling for demographic factors, maternal and paternal reports of child exte rnalizing behavior accounted for significant variance in their own and thei r partner's use of corporal punishment, and in mothers' use of severe physi cal aggression.