Understanding personal experiences of being smacked: An IPA study with young adults Melany Ball North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme University of Bangor July 2009 Abstract The question of whether or not to smack children has long been one of controversy and debate.Quantitative researchinto the effects of smacking has often been the therefore it has been conductedwithin wider remit of corporal punishment) and difficult to ascertainoutcomes relating to smacking specifically. Furthermorethere exists a multitude of methodological and conceptualcomplexities associatedwith the study of smacking,particularly within quantitative paradigms.Despite these difficulties, qualitative researchinto smacking has been limited and previous studies of this nature have focused on establishing a generalisedreflection of experiencesand opinions. The presentstudy used an Interpretative PhenomenologicalApproach (IPA) to explore young adults' experiencesof being smackedduring childhood. Analysis identified a number of themesincluding: influences on individual experience; precursorsto smacking; losing and regaining control; relationships with parents; and the potential for harm. From thesethemes a number of key findings were noted. Individual experiencesboth differed and converged,and were influenced by personal predispositions,attitudes towards smacking and the participants' perceptionsof smacking. Smacking was often driven by parental emotions, rather than to necessarily benefit the child. Participants describedcommon experiencesrelating to feelings of loss of control, and engagedin numerouscoping strategiesto managethese both experiencesand attempt to regain control. Smacking was associatedwith long-term positive and negative outcomesin relation to child-parent relationships and for development.It was concluded that parents need support to substitutesmacking alternative disciplinary methods,which hold less potential for harm. Acknowledeements I would like to thank Dr Isabel Hargreavesand Dr Jaci Huws for their support throughout this researchand particularly in the latter weeks, in writing up the findings.I would alsolike to thanktwo very goodfriends, Miss LeanneMaxwell and Miss GemmaMerrick, for helping keep me sanein the final few weeks, for always beingthere, and for providinga welcomedistraction! Above all, I want to say the biggest thank you to my fellow trainees,"the nine'. I would never have survived the ups and downs of thesethree years without you. I am eternally grateful that it was you guys who sharedthis experiencewith me; words cannot describehow much you all mean to me. Your influences have helped me develop both as a Trainee Clinical Psychologist, and, more importantly, as me. I will always hold a bit of every one of you in my heart and in my mind. THANK YOU. CONTENTS Section Page Ethics Proposal I Appendix A Recruitment notices 21 Appendix B Participant info sheet 1 23 Appendix C Screeningmeasures 1 26 Appendix D Consent form 1 30 Appendix E Ethical approval 1 32 Appendix F Amendment to ethics proposal 1 34 Appendix G Recruitment poster 1 36 Appendix H Amendment approval 1 38 Appendix I Further ethics amendments 1 40 Appendix J Newspaperadvertisement 1 43 Appendix K Revised recruitment notice 1 45 Appendix L Amendment approval 1 47 Process/personal 21 issuesarsing from the research Literature Review 31 References 3 22 Appendix A Submissionguidelines for Child 3 30 Development Research Paper 41 Abstract 42 introduction 43 Reflexivity 45 Method 4 6 Findings 4 10 Discussion 4 28 References 4 33 Tables 4 36 Appendix A Adapted CECA-Q and additional 4 38 questions Appendix B Interview Schedule 4 42 Appendix C Submissionguidelines for Qualitative 4 45 Researchin Psychology Contributions to 5 Theory & Clinical Practice References 56 Word Counts 6 SECTION ETHICS 3 rd party copyright material excluded from digitised thesis. Please refer to the original text to see this material. SECTION 2: PERSONAL AND PROCESS ISSUES ARISING FROM RESEARCH SECIION 2 Process and personal issues arsing from the conduct of the research During thejourney of this researchthere were numerousobstacles to overcome,both in terms of practicalities and my own personal struggleswith managing multiple demands. As regardspractical issues, the mostprominent, which causedmuch frustrationand delay,was a lack of clarity regardingexpectations of the certainaspects of the research,notably the literaturereview. I wrote the original review in accordancewith my interpretationof the ClmiicalPsychology manual guidelines, though months later, it wassuggested by staff that the review be written differently to how I had understood.This led to muchpersonal confusion and stress, and multiple revisionsof the document,which, in turn significantlydelayed my original timetable. Nevertheless,this helpedme learnto be flexible both in termsof my academicwork andin termsof my organisation. Therewere also some difficulties with recruitmenýwhich requiredtwo ethics amendmentsin orderto try differentmethods. This delayedrecruitment until Novemberand due to studentsreturning home for Christmasin Decemberand having examsin January,the window of opportunityto engagethem in screeningsand subsequentinterviews was more limited thanplanned. Again this aspectof the researchwas delayed in relationto the initial timetablebut requiredthat I drewupon skills of flexibility andlearning to work with circumstancesout of my control. SECTION 2 As a Trainee Clinical Psychologist, in conducting the interviews, there was always a 'pull' betweenbuilding rapport with clients without veering into a therapeuticmode of working. It was often difficult to maintain the balancebetween directing the interview whilst maintaining participant engagement.Nevertheless, all participants reported that they enjoyed participating in the interviews and much rich data was harvested.Furthermore, upon transcribing the data it was frustrating to sometimes listen to opportunities that I had missed to ask pertinent questionsor explore certain topics further. Although I acceptedthat this could not be rectified, I hope that it will aid me to perhapslisten more carefully to participants, should I conduct ftirther research,or more pertinently, listen more attentively to clients, in working therapeutically. AlthoughI hadsome previous experience of working with qualitativemethods, thoughnot IPA, my prior researchprojects and training had focusedon quantitative paradigms.It was thereforesometimes difficult to adi ust focusto producea research studyof qualitativedesign. For example,I initially foundmyself writing the resultsin a descriptivemanner, presenting quotes accompanied with a brief verbaldescription. it was difficult to embracethe ideathat I could presentmy interpretationsof the narrativesand these would be accepted.Nevertheless, with supportfrom my supervisorsI managedto overcomethis and learnhow to developand write a qualitativeresearch paper. Overall,this researchhas been one of the most difficult tasksI haveever undertaken it hasbeen at times,exhausting, stressful and overwhelming. It haspushed me beyond I be what I thought would capableof in termsof working understress and working SECTION 2 unsociablehours! Furthermore it has realty stretchedmy capabilities of multi-tasking, both at a practicaland mental level. Yet I believethese challenges have proved invaluablein both my personaland professional development and hope they standme in goodstead for my future career.In addition,even in the final weeks,I still felt passionfor the project,and to me that was more importantthan anything. I remained keento tell the storiesthat evolvedfrom my researchfindings, the stories,which my participantskindly sharedwith me, andwhich I hopecan make some small difference. SECTION 3: LITERATURE REVIEW SECTION 3 Corporal Punishment and Smacking: A critical review of guantitative research and discussion of theoretical issues Abstract The presentreview paper discussessmacking within the context of corporal punishment. Given that the literaturemost often citesthe effectsand debatesabout smacking within this wider remit, it was thought the most appropriate method of addressingall relevant issues.A brief background is presented,followed by the current political and legislative context of corporal punishment and smacking. A discussionensues as regards the methodological and conceptualdifficulties involved in the study of this topic area,before relevant empirical evidenceis reviewed. Included will be an outline of a psychological model of corporal punishmentproposed by Gershoff (2002a). Finally, additional psychological theories pertinent to child development and learning will be considered. introduction The terms "corporal punishment" and "physical punishment" encompass a range of disciplinary strategies, which include smacking, but can also include methods such as belt, shaking, pinching, hitting with a washing a child's mouth with soap, etc (Gershoff, 2002a). Corporal punishment has been defined as: "the use ofphysicalforce with the intention ofcausing a child to experiencepain but not injuryfor thepurposes ofcorrection or control of the child's behaviour" (Straus,1994) SECTION 3 In the presentreview it will be presumedthat the label of 'corporal punishment' will refer to the abovedefinition unless otherwise stated. The term "smacking"is commonlyused in the UK and is synonymouswith the term 66spanking",which is the label favouredin the USA (Redman& Taylor, 2006).In additionto theseexpressions, various studies have reported the useof alternativeterms such