Arnold E
Child Abuse Negl. 1982;6(2):141-5. doi: 10.1016/0145-2134(82)90006-0.
The West Indian child is usually loved by its parents or caretakers, but is frequently subjected to corporal punishment unsuitable to the age and stage of its development and excessive in relation to the alleged offence. The debate on whether the persistent use of what is considered excessive punishment as the means of instilling obedience in children, centres around the parents' African heritage or learned behaviour from the institution of slavery. Socially and economically disadvantaged parents under stress seem to displace their frustrations and anxieties on the children through corporal punishment which often assumes ritualised characteristics. The community in general and the parents in particular need help through appropriate education, to change their attitudes of accepting excessive corporal punishment as the means of imposing discipline upon children.
西印度儿童通常受到其父母或照料者的喜爱，但经常遭受与其年龄和发育阶段不相称、且相对于所指控罪行而言过度的体罚。关于持续使用被视为过度的惩罚手段来促使儿童顺从这一问题的争论，集中在父母的非洲传统或从奴隶制制度中学到的行为上。处于压力下的社会和经济弱势父母似乎通过往往具有仪式化特征的体罚，将他们的挫折感和焦虑发泄到孩子身上。整个社区，尤其是父母，需要通过适当的教育获得帮助，以改变他们将过度体罚作为约束孩子行为手段的态度。
