Reynsla fullorðinna Íslendinga af líkamlegum refsingum og ofbeldi í æsku.

Abstract

Líkamlegar refsingar barna og ofbeldi geta haft neikvæð áhrif á heilsu og vellíðan þeirra. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að skoða reynslu fullorðinna Íslendinga af líkamlegu ofbeldi í æsku, meta umfang hennar, réttlætingu þolenda og áhrif á mat á uppeldi. Af slembiúrtaki 1500 fullorðinna Íslendinga úr þjóðskrá, 18 ára og eldri, tóku 977 (65%) þátt. Þeir voru spurðir í símtali um mat á uppeldi sínu, og reynslu af 5 tilteknum formum líkamlegra refsinga og umfang þeirra, auk opinnar spurningar um önnur form. Af 968 svarendum mátu 810 (84%) að uppeldi þeirra hafi verið gott. Alls 465 þátttakendur (48%) sögðu frá bernskureynslu af að minnsta kosti einu formi líkamlegra refsinga og voru flengingar algengastar (29%). Svarendur sem voru þrjátíu ára og eldri voru 1,9 sinnum líklegri til að hafa slíka reynslu borið saman við þá sem voru yngri (95% CI 1,4-2,6) og karlar voru 1,6 sinnum líklegri en konur (95% CI 1,2-2,0) til að segja frá slíkri reynslu. Þeim sem var refsað oft töldu marktækt oftar að refsingin hafi aldrei verið réttlætanleg (OR=6,5; 95% CI 1,8-22,9) og voru líklegri til að telja uppeldi sitt hafi verið slæmt eða ásættanlegt (OR=10,2; 95% CI 4,7-21,9) borið saman við þá sem höfðu enga slíka reynslu. Líkamlegum refsingum var marktækt minna beitt í æsku svarenda sem voru fæddir um og eftir 1980 en þeirra sem fæddust fyrr. Vaxandi umræða og skilningur á réttindum barna og breyttar hugmyndir um uppeldi þeirra hefur stutt við slíka þróun.

Corporal punishment and abuse of children can have a negative impact on their health and well-being. The aim is to examine on Icelandic adults, experience of corporal punishment as children, its prevalence, justification as victims, and its impact on the assessment of their upbringing. From the national population register, out of 1500 randomly selected adults 18 years and older, 977 (65%) participated. In a telephone interview, they appraised their upbringing, followed by questions regarding 5 specific forms of corporal punishment in addition to an open-ended question about other forms experienced. Out of 968 respondents, 810 (84%) regarded their upbringing as good. In total, 465 (48%) reported at least one form of corporal punishment in childhood, with spanking being the most prevalent one (29%). Respondents 30 years and older were 1.9 times more likely to have experienced corporal punishment compared to those who were younger (95% CI 1.4-2.6) and males were 1.6 times more likely to report it compared to females (95% CI 1.2-2.0). Those who had frequently been punished were significantly more likely to hold of the opinion that it had never been justified (OR=6.5; 95% CI 1.8-22.9) and were more likely to judge their upbringing to have been reasonable or bad (OR=10.2; 95% CI 4.7-21.9) compared to those who had no such experience. The practice of corporal punishment of Icelandic children was significantly less prevalent among respondents born about 1980 and later compared to those born earlier. Increased public debate and awareness of children's rights and changed ideas about their upbringing has facilitated such development.