Theoretical-Conceptual Framework

According to Regoli, Hewitt and DeLisi (2010), the Coercion Exchange Theory of Gerald
Patterson explores how early parenting influences behaviour. He focuses on the exchanges that
take place between parents and children immediately after the children have misbehaved. If the
parents consistently react to antisocial behaviour with fair, effective discipline, then children
quickly learn that misbehaviour carries unpleasant consequences. In turn, the children learn to
behave and abide by societal rules. In contrast, if parents fail to monitor their children and if the
parental discipline is lax or inconsistent, then the child fails to internalize this important lesson.
Even worse, some children actually learn to use extreme misbehaviour, such as temper tantrums,
to discourage parental discipline. When this situation occurs which is called coercive exchange
the usual roles become reversed and the child ends up controlling the behaviour of the adult.
Patterson believes that such early exchanges can have profound effects on childrens
development. Children who are inconsistently disciplined and especially those who master
coercive exchanges grow up to be teenagers and adults who commit crimes. Such individuals
are taught to defy authority figures, reject rules, and use violence and other forms of
misbehaviour to solve their problems (Regoli, et. al, 2010).
The researchers selected a specific type of discipline which is corporal punishment being
a common type of child discipline applied by most Filipino parents. Gershoff, as cited in the
American Psychological Association (2013), concludes that "the act of corporal punishment
itself is different across parents - parents vary in how frequently they use it, how forcefully they
administer it, how emotionally aroused they are when they do it, and whether they combine it
with other techniques. Each of these qualities of corporal punishment can determine which childmediated processes are activated, and, in turn, which outcomes may be realized.

With the literature reviewed, the researchers determined the relationship between the use
of corporal punishment and the types of behaviour the respondents reflected in their present age
(early adulthood) namely Assertive, Aggressive and Passive behaviour.

Pattersons Coercive
Exchange Theory

Corporal Punishment

Types of behaviour:
Assertive
Passive
Aggressive

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram of Theoretical-Conceptual Framework