1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«This study aimed to describe professionals’ legal knowledge about parental use of CP [corporal punishment] and their attitudes toward this practice.» (p. 2)

Questions/Hypothèses :
The aim of the study «was to answer the following three questions: [W]hat are professionals’ knowledge with respect to Section 43 of the Criminal Code?; [W]hich cognitive, personal, and professional factors predict their attitudes in favor of CP?; and [H]ow do their attitudes toward CP differ according to their training sector?» (p. 2)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
An online survey was administered «to professionals working directly with children or their parents in Quebec (French-speaking province of Canada). To be eligible, professionals had to understand French or English and be in direct contact with children (0–17 years old) or with their parents at least a fifth (20 %) of their working time. […] A total of 1,758 professionals responded to the [survey]. Among the respondents, 1,187 (67 %) reported having obtained their highest academic degree in the psychosocial sector (e.g., social worker, psychologist); 299 (17 %), in the education sector (e.g., teacher, early childhood educator); and 272 (16 %), in the health sector (e.g., physician, nurses). The majority were female (91 %) and white (96 %), and the average age was 40 years […].» (p. 3)

Instruments :
Questionnaire

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«The results of this study highlight the importance of training professionals who work with children or their parents. In general, one would think that psychosocial workers are better trained in family violence and child discipline than health and education workers, who generally relate to children’s families on their physical health or academic success rather than on their psychosocial well-being. The fact remains that for psychosocial workers, like those from other sectors, not anticipating impacts of CP on a child is related to a more favorable attitude toward this practice […]. Therefore, given that the negative impacts of CP have been widely documented in longitudinal studies, it is important to encourage all workers to adopt ethical support practices that discourage families from using coercive disciplinary practices like CP […]. This should be part of the curriculum and the continuing education for professionals who work with families, including those from the psychosocial sector. […] The study results highlighted the role of violence experienced in childhood and religious practice in the adoption of favorable attitudes toward CP among all of the professionals surveyed. These findings underscore the need to recognize the importance of personal factors in attitudes toward CP and of the way to consider it in the initial training and continued education as well as in interventions with families.» (p. 7-8)