Prevalence, Severity and Chronicity of Corporal Punishment in Colombian Families

Colombia is one of the countries where corporal punishment (CP) is not yet banned. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of CP in Colombia with respect to prevalence, severity and chronicity. We used the Spanish version of the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale to assess 853 parental reports on the use of CP against their children in the four major cities of the country: Barranquilla, Bogota, Medellin and Cali. Analyses of variances and logistic regressions were performed. Socio-demographic variables that are predictors of the use of CP are parental age, the number of children in the household and age of the children. The results indicated a high rate of prevalence (77%) but low levels of severity and chronicity, as reported by Colombian parents. Our findings suggest that CP is a normalised practice, which might be linked to direct or indirect exposure to the long-lasting armed conflict (more than 50 years) that the country endured. Recommendations for social policies are presented, particularly the design and implementation of locally relevant interventions for the prevention of this practice. 'This study aims to contribute to the understanding of CP [corporal punishment] in Colombia with respect to prevalence, severity and chronicity' Key Practitioner Messages There is a high prevalence of CP in Colombia but low levels of severity and chronicity. Socio-demographic variables such as parental age and the number of children in the household are predictors of the prevalence of CP but not of its chronicity or severity. The use of CP might be related to the armed conflict that the country endured for the last 50 years. It is important to address the prevention of CP to promote a peaceful society.