Prevalence and factors associated with experience of corporal punishment in public schools in South Africa - South Africa

Abstract
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Background: Corporal punishment (CP) is still a common practice in schools globally. Although illegal, studies in South Africa report its continued use, but only a few have explored factors associated with school CP. Moreover, extant studies have not shown the interrelationships between explanatory factors. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with learners' experiences, and to examine pathways to the learners' experiences of CP at school.
Method: 3743 grade 8 learners (2118 girls and 1625 boys) from 24 selected public schools in Tshwane, South Africa, enrolled in a cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating a multi-component school-based intervention to prevent intimate partner violence, and completed self-administered questionnaires. We carried out descriptive analysis, simple linear and structural equation modelling to examine factors and pathways to the learners' experience of CP at school.
Results: About 52% of learners had experienced CP at school in the last 6 months. It was higher among boys compared to girls. Experience of CP at school amongst learners was associated with learner behavior, home environment, school environment. Learners from households with low-socio economic status (SES) had an increased risk of CP experience at school. Amongst boys, low family SES status was associated with a negative home environment and had a direct negative impact on a learner's mental health and delinquent behavior.
Conclusion: CP in public schools in South Africa continues despite legislation prohibiting its use. While addressing learner behaviour is critical, evidence-based interventions addressing home and school environment are needed to change the culture among teachers of using corporal punishment to discipline adolescents and inculcate one that promotes positive discipline.

摘要
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背景：体罚（CP）在全球范围内仍是一种常见的学校教育实践。尽管其使用在法律上被禁止，但南非的研究报告指出其使用仍在继续，然而，仅有少数研究探讨了与学校体罚相关的因素。此外，现有研究尚未揭示解释因素之间的相互关系。本研究旨在确定学习者经历体罚的普遍性和相关因素，并考察学习者经历学校体罚的途径。
方法：来自南非茨瓦内24所选定公立学校的3743名八年级学生（其中女生2118名，男生1625名）参与了一项多成分学校干预措施的集群随机对照试验，以评估预防亲密伴侣暴力的效果，并完成了自填式问卷。我们进行了描述性分析、简单线性回归和结构方程建模，以检验学习者经历学校体罚的因素和途径。
结果：大约52%的学习者在过去6个月内经历过体罚。在男生中，这一比例高于女生。学习者经历学校体罚与学习者行为、家庭环境、学校环境有关。来自社会经济地位（SES）低的家庭的学习者，在学校经历体罚的风险增加。在男生中，低家庭SES地位与负面家庭环境相关，并对学习者的心理健康和违规行为产生直接的负面影响。
结论：尽管禁止使用体罚的法律存在，但南非公立学校中的体罚现象仍然存在。在解决学习者行为问题的同时，需要基于证据的干预措施，以改变教师使用体罚来管教青少年以及培养积极纪律文化的现状。