screening questions for abuse vs. harsh discipline

[Sandra Bishop <bishop@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

A colleague is starting to analyze data from a screening questionnaire
and asked me to post this query.  

The questionnaire contains 3 items regarding parental discipline:

1) Have you spanked your child more than once in the previous month?
2) Have you ever felt like you have lost control while spanking your
child?
3) Have you ever left a mark from spanking your child?

If a parent endorses any 2 of these 3 items, she is trying to use this as
an indication of either: "corporal punishment"; or "harsh discipline"; or 
"potential abuse".  

What do you think of this?  Would endorsing 2 of the 3 items qualify as
punishment or harsh discipline or potential abuse?    


Thank you.

Sandra Bishop
Yale Child Study Center