Exploration of the Child's Experiences and Perceptions of Corporal Punishment

아동의 체벌 경험과 인식에 관한 탐색적 연구

The purpose of this study is to explore what circumstances a child experienced corporal punishment and how this direct and indirect experience led to an attitude toward corporal punishment. For this purpose, the focus group interviews was conducted in three regions nationwide for 17 children in two groups of elementary school 6th graders and one group of secondary school 2th graders. The data collected through interviews were derived from topics related to children's experience of direct and indirect corporal punishment and their perception of corporal punishment by utilizing and analyzing the method of subject analysis. As a result of the analysis, four topics and 10 sub-topics were derived. This study explored that within the various physical spaces in which children live, corporal punishment is conducted for the purpose of behavior correction or academic improvement, and that the experience of corporal punishment, especially at home, is understood as a love for children, leading to a favorable attitude toward corpoal punishment. Based on these findings, this study discussed practical and policy suggestions to enhance the presence of 'right to be free from punishment' in children's rights.