While support for physical punishment has decreased by 10 percentage points since 2005, 36% of adults still condone its use, and 80% believe yelling is an effective way to manage children’s behavior.
In Polish society, yelling is commonly used as a parenting method
These findings come from the "2024 Barometer of Attitudes Toward Child Maltreatment" study, conducted by Ipsos Polska and the Empowering Children Foundation.
The survey was administered in August 2024 to a representative sample of adults over 18 through online and telephone interviews.
Last year alone, one in five Polish adults witnessed physical punishment against a minor, yet 28% admitted they did not intervene, citing either a belief that discipline is the parents' exclusive responsibility or fear of negative consequences.
Support for physical punishment among parents in Poland
Women, young adults (ages 18-29), residents of large cities, individuals with higher education, and parents of young children are more likely to oppose physical punishment than men, older adults, those with less education, and parents of adult children.
The majority of respondents who were not physically punished in childhood oppose the practice, while those who experienced frequent punishment tend to be less certain in their stance.
Source: IAR/PAP
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