Prevenção contra maus-tratos na infância : crenças sobre punições físicas, avaliação de intervenção para pais e de treinamento para psicólogos(as) e assistentes sociais

Abstract

Despite the efforts that have been made in recent decades to ensure protection and integral development of children, millions continue to be exposed to child maltreatment worldwide. This doctoral thesis has the general goal of contributing to the prevention of child maltreatment by adapting a scale to assess physical punishment beliefs and implementing and evaluating a program for parents and caregivers. In the theoretical section the main concepts that underline the studies presented in the empirical section are defined and presented. The first study of the empirical section, entitled “Adaptation of the Physical Punishment Beliefs Scale to the Brazilian Context”, aimed to present the process of adapting the Physical Punishment Beliefs Scale for the Brazilian context, as well as initial evidence of scale dimensions and precision. A total of 257 participants were included and results indicated that the Brazilian version of the scale had better adjustment rates in the single factor structure. The second study of the empirical section received the title “ACT Raising Safe Kids Program improves parenting practices, beliefs about physical punishment, management of anger, and mental health: Evidence from a study in Brazil”. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the ACT Raising Safe Kids Program in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. A total of 47 mothers and five fathers participated in the intervention. Results showed that the ACT Program contributed to improve parenting practices, beliefs about physical punishment, level of anger, depression, and stress. The third study of the empirical section, entitled “Evaluation of the ACT Program Training for Psychologists and Social Workers”, aimed to evaluate the ACT Program Training for psychologists and social workers in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Participants were 16 psychologists and two social workers from public services. Results indicated that participants evaluated training as very positive and were satisfied with the applicability of the content. Participation in training also contributed to the reduction of beliefs that legitimize physical punishment.