Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Harold S. Wright

Abstract

There is a considerable gap in practice between research on the negative aspects of corporal punishment and its continued use by public school administrators on elementary school students in educational settings. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenographic study was to understand the conceptions of administrators’ practices specific to the use of corporal punishment in public elementary schools. The research questions addressed the conceptions of administrators about the efficacy of corporal punishment and the infliction of physical punishment in 4 elementary schools in the southeastern United States. Bandura’s social learning theory and Hirschi’s social control theory were used to form the conceptual framework of this study. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 12 school leaders who were chosen because of their experience with administering corporal punishment to public elementary school students. The data were coded and analyzed using transcriptions of the audio-recorded interviews and ATLAS.ti. 8 to support thematic analyses. Key themes that emerged were immediate compliance, short-term effect, policies, practices, and emotional and behavioral problems. Key results included that the administrators have limited belief in the efficacy of corporal punishment and that it has a short-term effect that only works for immediate compliance. One significant concern was the future emotional and behavioral problems that could be brought on by the use of corporal punishment. The primary recommendations are to eliminate ineffective practices and enact training with effective practices for managing student behavior. Positive social change may occur in the ways adults interact with students in schools and the larger community.

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