Spoil the Rod and Spare the Child: Examining the Colonial and Missionary Implications of Corporal Punishment in Contemporary Kenya

Charles Chege, Psy.D., Joy M. Bustrum, Psy.D., & Tonneka. M. Caddell, Psy.D., Azusa Pacific University, California.

Abstract

Using theoretical methodology as a basis for discourse, this paper discusses the long history of corporal punishment in Kenya and links it to colonial and missionary influences. Deconstructing scriptural justifications often used to support corporal punishment is a necessary process, and this paper argues that current psychological research strongly suggests that corporal punishment has negative and far reaching consequences. The paper concludes with a faith integration model of healthy discipline and recommends a systemic approach to dismantling beliefs and practices related to corporal punishment in educational, religious, and societal settings.