A comparative analysis of the perceptions of parents and caregivers concerning appropriate discipline of young children enrolled in child care

• Main Author: Staley, Linda M.
• Other Authors: Stroud, James C.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Discipline of children > Public opinion.; Parenting.; Child rearing.; Child care workers > Attitudes.; Parents > Attitudes.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/181103; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/861384

The purpose of this study was a comparative analysis of the perceptions of parents and caregivers concerning appropriate discipline of young children enrolled in child care. A questionnaire, the Parent and Caregiver Perceptions Concerning Appropriate Discipline for Young Children Enrolled in Child Care Questionnaire (PCPQ), was designed by the researcher. Through the use of a Likert scale, respondents indicated their agreement or disagreement with statements derived from various discipline philosophies. This survey was distributed to the parents and caregivers of young children enrolled in 17 licensed child care facilities throughout the state of Indiana. Of the total sample, 1,963 persons, respondents included 592 parents and 312 caregivers. Diverse ages and educational levels were represented. Females represented the largest group of respondents. While most of the parents were married, the caregivers were evenly divided between single and married. The mean response for caregiver teaching experience was 4.57 years. Factor analysis resulted in three factors with reliability coefficients above .65. Of the 40 items on the survey, only four were eliminated from further analysis due to a lack of reliability. Factor I included items related to the Need for Discipline, Factor II was related to the Need for Consistency, and Factor III was related to the Need for Authority. The mean score for each factor was computed. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted at the .05 level of significance.Results1. There was a difference in the perceptions of parents and caregivers concerning appropriate discipline of young children enrolled in child care. The hypothesis, there is no difference in the perceptions of parents and caregivers concerning appropriate discipline of young children enrolled in child care, was rejected, F(3,674) _ 4.58, R = .003.2. Univariate F-tests were conducted to determine if the independent variable (parent or caregiver) differed on all three dependent variables (Factors I, II, or III) or on just one. The difference was primarily in Factor II, The Need for Consistency, F(1,676) = 5.75, p = .017. Parents and caregivers had similar perceptions regarding Factor I; they agreed with the need for discipline. Parents and caregivers did not have similar perceptions regarding Factor II; parents agreed and caregivers more strongly agreed with the need for consistency. Regarding Factor III, they had similar perceptions in that they sometimes agreed and they sometimes disagreed with the need for authority. === Department of Elementary Education