Abstract
Child maltreatment is a major public health concern in Japan. Although corporal punishment by caregivers has been legally prohibited since 2020, self-reported data remain limited on caregiver engagement in and recognition of specific maltreatment-related behaviors. This study described engagement in and recognition of 27 such behaviors. A cross-sectional, anonymous online survey was conducted in 2023 among caregivers of children in public elementary and junior high schools in a Japanese municipality. The questionnaire assessed self-reported engagement in 27 maltreatment-related behaviors and classification of each behavior as "discipline," "abuse," or "neither." Associations between non-recognition as abuse and self-reported engagement were examined for each behavior. Among 4,102 invited households, 1,098 caregivers were included. Behaviors for which the reporting criterion was not met were frequently reported, including yelling at the child (88.3%), hitting with the hand (59.1%), and verbal threats (47.3%), whereas most physical maltreatment-related behaviors meeting the reporting criterion were rarely reported. Recognition as abuse was low for several behaviors not meeting the reporting criterion, including yelling (19.1%), leaving a crying child unattended (43.4%), and hitting with the hand (45.7%). Across the 27 items, non-recognition as abuse correlated positively with reported engagement (R2 = 0.824, p < 0.001). Several behaviors not meeting the reporting criterion were commonly reported, and were often not classified as abuse. These findings suggest that even after the legal prohibition of corporal punishment, parenting support should specify which everyday behaviors may constitute corporal punishment or maltreatment.