In this article, Sioux Hall promotes using a strengths-based approach to examine the interruption of the intergenerational cycle of child abuse and explores the strategies that women who were abused by a parent as children used to raise their children without abuse. She documents the mothers' uses of strategies such as vowing to protect and…

This discussion of punishment in child rearing examines the Bible proverb, defines punishment, and identifies criteria necessary for effective punishment. It also considers negative effects of punishment and cultures where corporal punishment has been banned. Alternatives to punishment are discussed, and an alternative form of the proverb is…

Noting that parents' use of corporal punishment to discipline their children remains a strongly debated issue, this paper examines the impact of corporal punishment on children's development, focusing primarily on its long-term effectiveness. The paper presents the history of spanking in the United States, including public opinion on corporal…

This paper examines the role of internal working models in the development of parent-child relationships. Mental representations of child attachment, adult attachment, and parental caregiving are reviewed in light of adaptational deficits often associated with attachment insecurity. A reconceptualization of the link between insecurity and child…

Describes the book by Geraldine Youcha as uncovering recurring patterns in American efforts to care for neglected and destitute children. Discusses the book's six chapters, which cover child care on antebellum plantations, 19th-century utopias, the difficulties faced by immigrant women with children, and issues in contemporary child care. (BGC)

Originally prepared for the opening address of a seminar on child abuse and neglect held in Sydney on September 24, 1980, the aim of this discussion paper is to give a very brief picture of the conditions and life patterns of children from the Middle Ages into the twentieth century. The focus of the historical review is mainly on British children…

Conditions in India that contribute to child abuse and neglect are discussed. Sections focus on child rearing practices, discipline of children at home and in school, the nation's six million abandoned children, child sexual abuse, causes of abuse, poverty, lack of education, characteristics of abused children and their abusers, situational…

These transcriptions reproduce four National Public Radio interviews with individuals concerned with and involved in the provision of foster care to children and youth. The interviews cover a wide range of topics, including previous traumatic experiences of children brought into foster care, the low level of remuneration provided to foster…

Explores the idea of "wonderful children" as a socially defined concept pervading parents' perceptions of their children. Examines professionals' views of young children and possible contradictions which arise within the specific context of child abuse. The analysis is based on interviews with mothers and observations of interactions at…

Banning school corporal punishment is supported as a step towards gradually eliminating all violent actions toward children. The 39 states that allow corporal punishment are encouraged to outlaw it, to teach children that it is not socially acceptable behavior and to set an example for families' child-rearing attitudes and practices. (JDD)

This commentary reviews progress towards the development and implementation of home-based services aimed at preventing abuse and neglect and promoting the health and development of the infant and mother. The effectiveness of the Healthy Families model and the Olds' model are highlighted, and challenges facing home visitation programs are…

The author concludes from his research that severe parental punishment (the use of a belt or its equivalent) is an almost necessary, if not sufficient, precursor to habitual male delinquency. He outlines his theory on the development of aggression and suggests ways for schools to counteract violence in the home. (Author/SJL)

Emotional child abuse is virtually inevitable in the context of the traditional nuclear family and often has a more detrimental effect on children than other, more widely publicized forms of maltreatment. This paper documents clinical, statistical, and empirical evidence showing that "normative" child-rearing practices in our culture have…

Argues that inadequate parenting is a feature of Australian social life, partly because as a community, Australians are unaware of some of the problems that exist, and partly because they have few adequate procedures for coping with problems that arise during child-rearing. Problems addressed include short-term separations, child abuse, and joint…

These proceedings summarize the important ideas discussed in various workshops of a Delaware forum on the changing nature of the American family. The contents include an opening statement by the Governor of Delaware; a transcript of a panel discussion of lobbying and obtaining grants and other types of funding; a brief address from a…