Re: Child Disscipline & Cultural Controversies

[lisa fontes <lfontes@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I regret I was out of town when you posted your message--I do a fair
amount of presenting on culturalo issues in discipline (veronica Abney
and I did a workshop or two togethr on this topic, too). I think Murray
Straus's more recent research (with a culturally diverse population) is
quite compelling, showing that the demonstrated harm from spanking is
LESS where spanking is more common and therefore also often done by
parents who treat their children in loving ways when theyy're not
spanking. I also speak about all the evidence against spanking and how
children from oppressed groups have so many strikes against them--why
not doing everything we can to eliminate this possible risk factor. etc.
etc. I cannot give you the 3-hour workshop now, but feel free to contact
me directly. I find Murray Straus's Beating the Devil out of Them quite
helpful as a resource. I also rely on international research that
indicates that spanking and whipping may be a legacy of slavery.


YOu may also find helpful a book I edited which-while focused on sexual
abuse--has a lot of general info on working with culturally diverse
populations (including African Americans, seventh day adventists, Puerto
Ricans, Asian Americans, and others):

Fontes, L. (1995). Sexual abuse in Nine North American cultures:
Treatment and prevention. Newbury Park: Sage.

Good luck and let me know if Ican be helpful.

Lisa Fontes, Ph.D.
lfontes@javanet.com