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Physical Discipline and Verbal Punishment: An Assessment of Domain and Gender-Specific Effects on Delinquency Among Chinese Adolescents

Youth & Society

Published online on

Abstract

This study assesses the effects of physical and verbal discipline on delinquency among Chinese adolescents and whether parent–adolescent influences are domain and gender-specific. Data drawn from more than 2,700 middle school students from Fuzhou City, China yield results as follows: Parental use of physical and verbal discipline each increases the risk of delinquency in three domains after controlling for common correlates. Physical discipline exerts generally stronger effects than verbal punishment except for substance use, where verbal discipline is slightly stronger. The effects of physical and verbal discipline are domain- and gender-specific. While father’s physical discipline predicts son’s delinquency in three domains, mother’s physical discipline is associated with aggression and substance use among daughter. Contrarily, for verbal discipline, maternal punishment is associated with son’s delinquency, whereas paternal verbal discipline predicts daughter’s aggression. These results along with others are discussed in light of theoretical importance and policy implications.