The Disciplinary methods imposed upon 3-6 year old children

This study has been designed to analyse the disciplinary methods adapted for 3-6 year olds in two groups of families (100 families each) belonging to two different socio-economic groups living in Adana. The disciplinary methods used are defined and the differences in application and acceptance of various methods are analysed with respect to various individual cultural, social and economic characteristics such as age and education of parent, type of family, feeling of economic status etc. It was found that negative disciplinary methods were used more frequently by mothers. Battey was used by 36.3% of mothers and 25.0% of fathers. Children were threatened by 21.9% of mothers and 7.5% of mothers. The rate of belittleling was 11.3% for mothers and 5.0% for fathers; and these rates were 22.5% and 5.0% respectively for cursing. Ignoring the child and closing him alone in a room were also methods more frequently made use of by mothers. Verbal disciplinary methods were found to be adopted more frequently by parents who are educated, of higher economic status, who sent their children to pre-school education instutions. and who had planned the birth of the child. Physical disciplinary methods were adopted more frequently by parents who were interviewed at the health center, having less education, more children and relatively lower socio-economic status. Key words: Child. Child Development. Child Abuse. Child Education, Disciplinary. Methods