Représentations sociales de la punition corporelle et pratiques de soutien de futurs psychoéducateurs auprès des familles, dont celles issues des communautés noires
This qualitative study looks at the representations and practices of Quebec future psychoeducators in situations of corporal punishment and physical abuse encountered in their professional practice. The study begins by examining the topic generally and then explores it more specifically when the family belongs to a Black community. Black communities are overrepresented in the child protection systems in Quebec, elsewhere in Canada and in other countries. In Montreal, members of these communities are reported mainly by professionals working with them. It would therefore appear essential to take a closer look at professionals’ representations and practices in order to shed light on the support offered to families and the decision to report them or not. 23 master’s-level university students took part in semistructured group interviews. A thematic analysis was then conducted using a mixed-categorization approach. Results suggest that the future psychoeducators surveyed are against the use of corporal punishment, but that their level of tolerance and understanding in this regard depends on various characteristics of the situations described. The cultural component is an additional factor that can help in understanding and that can have an influence on their professional practices. Finally, the discussion offers reflections about the place to be given to culture in the intervention and the unease that characterizes professional practice in such a context.
Social representations Professional practice Corporal punishment Black families Overrepresentation Future psychoeducators