Intergenerational transmission of shyness, or the social process through which shy characteristics or behavioral patterns demonstrated by parents are passed on to their children, has received recent empirical attention and has suggested a positive relationship between levels of shyness in parents and children. One factor that may relate to this relationship is the attitudes parents hold toward having a shy child. The present study sought to illuminate several questions surrounding parental attitudes toward shyness and the presence of withdrawn, inhibited behavior in children. It was hypothesized that: a) parental attitudes toward shyness and shyness in parents would interact to influence inhibited behavior in children; and b) childrearing practices would serve as a mediator in the anticipated relationship between parental attitudes toward shyness and inhibited behavior in children. Results indicated a significant positive relationship between parental attitudes toward shyness and withdrawn, inhibited behavior in children, as well as a series of significant relationships between parental attitudes toward shyness and specific parenting strategies. No significant moderational or mediational effects were found, however. / Master of Science

Although behavioral inhibition has been found to be relatively stable, such stability has not always been shown. Moreover, although an association between parental shyness and child behavioral inhibition has been reported, this relationship is imperfect and indirect. The present study proposed that one factor that may impact these relationships is the attitudes parents hold toward having a shy, inhibited child. Although shyness is typically regarded as a negative and maladaptive trait, it is not necessarily viewed as problematic by all parents. The present study investigated a series of ten specific hypotheses that centered around the notion that variations in parental attitudes toward shyness may lead some parents to encourage and other parents to discourage behaviors typically associated with shyness in their young children. Using a longitudinal design, the present study examined the relations among the constructs of parental attitudes toward shyness, child behavioral inhibition, childrearing strategies, and parental shyness over a span of two years in a sample of 3 to 6 year-old children and their parents. Results revealed several interesting and valuable findings. Maternal attitudes toward shyness emerged as a moderator of the relationship between behavioral inhibition at Time 1 and Time 2. Maternal attitudes toward shyness also emerged as a significant moderator of the relationship between maternal shyness and child behavioral inhibition. However, childrearing strategies did not mediate the relationship between maternal attitudes toward shyness and behavioral inhibition in children as predicted. / Ph. D.

A família além de vivida cotidianamente, é pensada, refletida e pesquisada com diferentes enfoques e objetivos, por diferentes perspectivas teóricas, práticas e metodológicas. Para se estudar a família é preciso antes de tudo desnaturalizá-la e recuperar sua própria história, pois os modelos que hoje temos são resultados de processos de transformação da forma de se ver e educar a criança, como também do contexto social, histórico e cultural em que vivemos. Isso inclui o fenômeno da Violência Doméstica, e mais especificamente o uso de violência física de pais contra filhos, que apesar das modificações ocorridas na visão da criança e das práticas educativas na família ao longo do tempo, sempre existiu e persiste de forma endêmica em nossos dias, constituindo um problema de saúde pública, e requerendo estratégias de intervenção por parte dos serviços de saúde e desenvolvimento social. O presente projeto tem o objetivo de investigar, junto a pais e mães com histórico de violência física contra seus filhos, a visão sobre o que é educar uma criança, sobre seu papel de pai/mãe e sobre as conseqüências de seus comportamentos sobre o filho. Busca, dessa forma, trazer contribuições para uma melhor compreensão do problema da agressão física de pais contra filhos, necessária a programas de intervenção que ultrapassem ações punitivas e de cunho imediatista, visando transformações nas relações familiares a partir da consideração da ótica do agente agressor. Os entrevistados são pais e mães denunciados por agressão física contra os filhos ao Conselho Tutelar da cidade de Barretos ? SP. O modelo de entrevista utilizado é denominado ?história de vida temática?, que prevê inicialmente o relato da história de vida do entrevistado, complementada por um conjunto de tópicos previamente definidos pelo pesquisador. Optou-se pela não delimitação prévia do número de sujeitos, utilizando-se o ponto de saturação. Dessa maneira, foram realizadas seis entrevistas, tendo sido gravadas, transcritas e analisadas qualitativamente. A análise dos dados aponta inconsistências entre as concepções parentais a respeito do que é educar e de seu papel como educadores e as práticas educativas que utilizam com os filhos no cotidiano. Evidencia dificuldades dos pais em utilizar recursos educativos alternativos à punição física e uma naturalização cultural do bater como forma de colocar limites e disciplinar a criança; aponta também a falta de suporte social e econômico dos pais como fatores de risco e de estresse, e a necessidade de implementar programas de intervenção que promovam a integração entre suas concepções e práticas como educadores. / Nowadays, family is investigated, studied and the object of research of many theoretical perspectives, with different goals and methodologies. However, in order to study the family it is necessary to rescue its history, because the present models we have are the final result of a complex process of social, historical and cultural transformation, and also changes in the ways we see the childhood, what do parents expect from their children and the childrearing practices used to get to the educational goals. Domestic violence is included in all this process, especially the physical violence that parents use against their children, and that constitutes a public health problem in our context. The main objective of this research is to investigate points of view of parents that use physical violence against their children, their conceptions about the educational process, their role as parents and the consequences of their actions in the child?s development. In this direction, it searches contributions to understand the problem of physical violence of parents against their children, to improve intervention programs that overcome punitive actions, seeking effective transformation in family relationships, considering the parent?s point of view. The study was performed in a city of State of São Paulo through interviews with three mothers and three fathers from different families, that had been disclosed for physical violence against their children. Methodology was constructed in a qualitative perspective, using a model of semi-structured interview called ? Thematic Life History?, where participants expose their personal history since their childhood, followed by a previously defined list of topics. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and qualitatively analyzed. Data analysis revealed that parent?s conceptions are not corresponding to their every day actions with their children; the difficulty of parents at knowing or using alternative and non-violent chidrearing practices and a cultural and historical naturalization of the use of physical punishment to establish limits and discipline the child. It also points out the parents` low social and economical support as a risk factor and as the cause of stress for the studied families as well as the necessity of changes in intervention programs to offer the possibility of joining parents conceptions and practices, aiming the improvement of child`s positive global development.

This thesis examines the discursive messages and specific practices that Latino families use to transmit messages about culture, race, and racism. Scholars have not fully explored the complexity and range of practices and discourses that are involved in Latinos’ ethno-racial socialization. The use of the phrase “ethno-racial socialization” is important because it combines the concepts of racial socialization and ethnic socialization in an effort to account for how the lived experiences of Latinos who mostly think of themselves as a racial group, are treated as one race, and thus, discuss race with family members. This research explores this process using twelve in-depth, semi-structured interviews with seven U.S. born children of immigrants between the ages of 18-30 and five of their parents (3 immigrant, 1 migrant, and 1 U.S. born). The immigrant families were middle-class and had at least one parent that was born in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, or Puerto Rico. To theoretically ground the project, I draw on Annette Lareau’s concepts of concerted cultivation and the accomplishment of natural growth, which are two major frames to describe how middle-class and lower-class families socialize their family members. I apply this framework to strategies of ethno-racial socialization and develop through the concepts of ethno-racial concerted cultivation and the accomplishment of natural growth, which, I argue, respectively correspond to ‘explicit’ and ‘implicit’ socialization approaches to conveying messages about culture, race, and racism. I argue that ethno-racial concerted cultivation and the accomplishment of natural growth stand in opposite ends of a continuum of approaches to instilling messages related to race and ethnicity. In some cases, the strategies can be mutually reinforcing because a practice that can be considered ethno-racial concerted cultivation can create opportunities for the accomplishment of natural growth to occur (and vice versa). Intra-familial differences in how family members socialize their children mean that they receive diverse and at times contradictory messages about culture and race from different family members such as parents and extended family members. The differences in how family members use ethno-racial socialization strategies are further heightened due to the experiences of the family member (such as their maintenance or rejection of immigrant culture and experiences with racial discrimination or lack thereof) and family structure (such as the varying messages children receive in single-parent households with extended family members living in the home, two-parent households, and households with transnational family ties). The young adults who were consistently exposed to encouraging and empowering messages that implicitly or explicitly emphasized a sense of commitment, belonging, and identity to the ethno-racial group experienced the most positive outcomes, some resulting in cultural capital, such as: racial literacy, preparation for bias, ethnic/racial identity, language skills, access to co-ethnic networks, cosmopolitanism, social flexibility, and social capital (in the form of familial capital). The young adults who did not receive consistent messages or who received messages that promoted anti-blackness or erased the importance of their immigrant family’s culture experienced some of the following outcomes: limited racial literacy, ambiguous ethno-racial identity, limited Spanish skills, limited access to co-ethnic networks, and parent-child conflict. Overall, this research illustrates how ethno-racial socialization in Latina/o families does not easily fit into one discrete model of socialization, but rather is a complex, multi-layered interplay of mechanisms that draw on both ethno-racial concerted cultivation and the accomplishment of natural growth approaches. This interplay also brings sometimes conflict due to the various and, at times, opposing messages that children receive from different family members.

Being an immigrant mother poses a unique challenge to the parenting experience because she is removed physically from her original cultural setting. In this novel situation the mother must balance her own parents' parenting values with the set of belief systems present in the new culture. This study identifies the unique ways and critical features of bi-cultural parenting decisions that the Chinese immigrant parents have come to make. Fifteen Chinese immigrant mothers participated in this study. Each participant completed a background information survey prior to the interview. Qualitative methodology was used to gather and to analyze the data. Descriptive quantitative statistics were used to organize the data. A substantive theory of accommodation of bi-cultural childrearing practices was generated that revolved around the three psychological processes of deviation, accommodation, and balance of views about education and learning. Four bi-cultural parenting strategies were identified that immigrant parents used: comparison process, opportunity education, child-inspired education, and the education of love. Specifically in order for the balance in their bi-cultural childrearing decisions and parental satisfaction to occur, the immigrant mothers had to deviate from the perceived negative cultural values and accommodate to the perceived positive cultural belief of both home and host countries. This research not only fulfills the need for empirical research on the role of acculturation in changing and modifying the central values of a cultural group, but also broadens the area of migration by examining in depth the change of cultural values in the context of migration. By using familial level of analysis (i.e., by using the memory of the parents as a factor contributing to the outcomes of parenting beliefs and practices), the continuity of vertical transmission of value congruence from parents to children in the context of dual cultures is achieved. Furthermore, this study explores value congruence between parents and offspring by taking not one, but two, cultures into account. / text

Submitted by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-01-21T18:11:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Taiane Lins.pdf: 1221507 bytes, checksum: 3da7afa2c7a51540ad72a1fbbad55011 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Portela (anapoli@ufba.br) on 2014-02-03T13:41:14Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Taiane Lins.pdf: 1221507 bytes, checksum: 3da7afa2c7a51540ad72a1fbbad55011 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-03T13:41:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Taiane Lins.pdf: 1221507 bytes, checksum: 3da7afa2c7a51540ad72a1fbbad55011 (MD5) / CAPES / O controle psicológico envolve o uso de práticas educativas parentais como a superproteção, o envolvimento excessivo e o uso constante de críticas e insultos. Esse tipo controle tem sido destacado na literatura internacional como um dos preditores dos problemas internalizantes, por restringir as possibilidades de desenvolvimento da autonomia e de um repertório socialmente adequado na criança, que, em consequência desse tipo de prática, percebe-se como menos competente para a exploração do seu ambiente e para enfrentar situações novas. O presente estudo verificou as relações entre o controle psicológico (controle crítico e superproteção) e os problemas internalizantes em pré-escolares, assim como as relações entre o suporte apropriado e os problemas internalizantes em pré-escolares. Participaram deste estudo 103 mães cujos filhos, de ambos os sexos, tinham idade entre três e cinco anos. As mães foram convidadas a participar do estudo em sete escolas particulares de Salvador, nas quais as mensalidades variaram entre R$ 75,00 e R$ 220,00. Durante as entrevistas, previamente agendadas nas escolas dos filhos, as mães responderam a uma ficha de dados sociodemográficos, ao Inventário dos Comportamentos de Crianças entre 1½ e 5 anos (CBCL-1½-5) e à Entrevista Estruturada sobre Práticas Educativas Parentais e Socialização Infantil. O escore total de problemas internalizantes não foi predito pelas práticas educativas maternas investigadas. Porém, foram verificadas correlações significativas e positivas, mas de fraca intensidade, entre as síndromes ansiedade/depressão e retraimento, que compõem o agrupamento de problemas internalizantes, e o controle crítico. Contudo, as análises de regressão realizadas indicaram que apenas o retraimento foi predito significativamente pelo controle crítico. Discutem-se as formas pelas quais o controle crítico pode estar associado às duas síndromes, assim como a relevância das dimensões afetivas e de aspectos culturais para a compreensão das relações entre as práticas educativas maternas e os problemas internalizantes. Além disso, discute-se a influência de variáveis sociodemográficas sobre as práticas e sobre os problemas internalizantes, assim como as características do instrumento utilizado para a investigação das práticas educativas maternas. Psychological control involves the use of parental childrearing practices such as overprotection, excessive involvement, constant criticism, and verbal abuse. The international literature has regarded this type of control as one of the predictors of internalizing problems since it restricts children’s possibilities of developing autonomy and a socially appropriate behavior repertoire. Consequently, these children tend to see themselves as less competent to explore their environment and deal with new situations. The present study examined relations between psychological control (critical control and overprotection) and internalizing problems in preschool children and relations between appropriate support and internalizing behavior problems in preschool children. Participants in the study were 103 mothers whose children of both sexes were between the ages of three and five. Mothers were invited to participate in the study at seven private schools from Salvador. The monthly school fees ranged from R$ 75 to R$ 200 in these schools. During the interviews, which had been previously scheduled at the school meetings with the mothers, the participants completed a sociodemographic data form, the Child Behavior Checklist 1½-5, and the Child Socialization and Parental Childrearing Practices Structured Interview. The total score of internalizing problems was not predicted by the maternal childrearing practices. However, significant but weak positive correlations were found between anxiety/depression syndromes and withdrawal, making up the internalizing problems cluster, and critical control. Nonetheless, regression analysis revealed that only withdrawal was significantly predicted by critical control. The ways through which critical control may be associated with these two syndromes, as well as the relevance of the affective dimensions and cultural aspects to the understanding of the relationships between maternal childrearing practices and internalizing problems, are discussed. Furthermore, the influence of sociodemographic variables over these practices and over the internalizing problems, as well as the characteristics of the instrument used to investigate the maternal childrearing practices, is discussed.

Submitted by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-01-21T18:54:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Portela (anapoli@ufba.br) on 2014-02-03T15:14:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-03T15:14:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / CNPq / Crianças com problemas internalizantes tendem a apresentar maior dificuldade de solucionar ou solicitar auxílio para situações de difícil resolução, além de possuírem um repertório restrito para as interações sociais e sofrerem com sintomas emocionais, como a ansiedade e a depressão. As práticas parentais intrusivas estão relacionadas ao desenvolvimento de problemas internalizantes e se caracterizam por restringir, invalidar ou manipular a experiência e as expressões emocionais e comportamentais da criança, ou criticá-la e humilhá-la. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito de uma intervenção grupal, direcionada às práticas educativas parentais, sobre os problemas internalizantes na infância por meio de um delineamento quase-experimental com grupos não-equivalentes, com pré e pós-teste. A hipótese principal foi a de que, no grupo intervenção, os escores de problemas internalizantes e de suas respectivas síndromes no pós-teste seriam inferiores quando comparados aos escores de problemas internalizantes no pré-teste. Esperava-se também que os escores de problemas internalizantes e das síndromes internalizantes fossem mais altos no grupo comparação do que no grupo intervenção no pós-teste. Participaram 13 mães e um pai de crianças entre três e seis anos divididos em dois grupos: intervenção e comparação. A intervenção teve oito sessões grupais com frequência semanal. Os instrumentos utilizados foram uma ficha de dados sociodemográficos, e os Inventários dos Comportamentos de Crianças nas versões para 1½ a 5 anos (CBCL/1½-5 anos) e de Crianças e Adolescentes de 6 a 18 anos (CBCL/6-18 anos). A análise de dados foi conduzida por meio de procedimentos de estatística descritiva e dos Testes Wilcoxon e Mann-Whitney. Os resultados revelaram redução nos escores do grupo intervenção, do pré para o pós-teste, na síndrome queixas somáticas. O impacto da intervenção sobre as queixas somáticas pode ter sido consequência dos seguintes processos induzidos ou iniciados pelo programa de intervenção: a) substituição de práticas superprotetoras e coercitivas por práticas facilitadoras do desenvolvimento social, levando à extinção respondente de componentes relacionados às dimensões fisiológicas de emoções eliciadas por práticas intrusivas e, especialmente, por aquelas de caráter coercitivo, como por exemplo, dores de barriga ou enjoos; b) aumento do controle da criança sobre o contexto das relações pais-filhos, diminuindo seu caráter aversivo e imprevisível e levando à extinção respondente dos sintomas somáticos. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos para problemas internalizantes, nem para as síndromes. Discutem-se as implicações da duração e da amplitude da intervenção, da não equivalência dos grupos, da idade e da escolaridade dos participantes. Children with internalizing problems tend to have greater difficulty in solving or request assistance for resolution of difficult situations, besides having a restricted repertoire to social interactions and suffer with emotional symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Intrusive parenting practices are related to the development of internalizing problems and are characterized by actions that restrict, manipulate or invalidate the experience and the behavioral and emotional expressions of the child. This study evaluated the effect of a group intervention, targeted to parenting practices, on internalizing problems in childhood through a quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent groups with pre-and post-test. The initial hypothesis was that, in the intervention group, scores for internalizing problems and their respective syndromes at posttest were lower when compared to the scores of internalizing problems at pretest. It was also expected that the scores for internalizing problems and internalizing syndromes were higher in the comparison group than in the intervention group at posttest. Participants in the study were 13 mothers and one father of children between three and six years old divided into two groups: intervention and comparison. The intervention had eight weekly group sessions. The instruments used were a sociodemographic data form, and the Child Behavior Checklist in versions for 1 ½ - 5 years (CBCL / 1 ½ -5 years) and 6-18 years (CBCL/6-18 years). Data analysis was conducted using procedures of descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. The results indicated a decline in scores in the intervention group, from pre to post-test in somatic complaints. The impact of the intervention on somatic complaints could have been the result of the following processes inducted or initiated by the intervention program: a) replacement of overprotective and coercive practices by parenting practices that facilitate social development, leading to the extinction of respondent components related to physiological dimensions of emotions elicited by intrusive practices and especially for those coercive character, such as stomach aches or nausea; b) increase of the child's control over the context of parent-child relationships, diminishing his aversive and unpredictable character and leading to the respondent extinction of somatic symptoms. There were no significant differences between groups for internalizing problems, or for syndromes. The implications of the length and period of the intervention, the non-equivalence of groups, age and educational level of the participants are discussed.

The purposes of this study are to examine the reported childrearing beliefs and practices of family day home caregivers, to examine the reported childrearing beliefs and practices of parents whose children are in a family day home, and to determine the congruency of the reported childrearing beliefs and practices between caregivers and parents. The childrearing beliefs and practices selected for the study are in the areas of discipline, sleeping, feeding-eating, toilet training, sex-role development, and selected home activities.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The objective of this study was to know the maternal experiences in relation to the breastfeeding for women who breastfed their children for two years or more. The participants were four adult mothers aged between 20 and 50 years. The instruments used to collect information were screened form to identify the criteria for inclusion of participants and a semi-structured interview to investigate the study questions. Was used a collective case study design, giving attention to the particularities and similarities between the cases, and a qualitative analysis. The results were organized in three studies: a theoretical study (Study 1) as regards the pursuit of studies, using a literature narrative review, that discusses the maternal experience in relation to the breastfeeding and weaning; the first empirical study (Study 2) that refer to research on how is the mothers experience with the practice of breastfeeding for two years or more, which the models involved in the practice and the place occupied by father in this context; and the second empirical study (Study 3) investigates what the aspects related to children's weaning process breastfed for up to two years or more, giving emphasis on three aspects: the ambivalence of feelings reported by mothers in regard to weaning, the reasons that led to wean the children and the surveillance and social coercion from this practice. All the main results in the three studies indicate the importance of rethinking health issues and assistance to women and children who can offer adequate support for the socio-cultural, historical and subjective demands can be met. Is necessary to understand that it is still only encourage breastfeeding speaking about their nutritional and biological aspects, but to understand the situation of every woman's life. It is understood that changes in social, cultural and historical terms are complex, however, the provision of adequate emotional support is possible. It must be recognized the different practices of women regarding breastfeeding are characterized by great social pressure. This is the result of the control exercised by society on women, for example, through campaigns to encourage breastfeeding and monitoring on the act of breastfeeding and weaning, gender issues and little knowledge or ignorance of the experiences and feelings of mothers by the people who are next to them and work with these. So also points up the importance of understanding the woman's support network breastfeeding, since through this improved structure can offer a service in health and expanded under a biopsychosocial perspective. / O objetivo deste estudo foi conhecer as experiências maternas em relação à prática da amamentação para mulheres que amamentaram seus filhos por dois anos ou mais. Participaram da pesquisa quatro mães adultas com idades entre 20 e 50 anos. Os instrumentos utilizados para a coleta de informações foram uma ficha de triagem, para identificar os critérios de inclusão dos participantes, e uma entrevista semiestruturada, para investigar as questões do estudo. Foi utilizado um delineamento de estudo de caso coletivo, dando-se atenção às particularidades e semelhanças entre os casos, e uma análise qualitativa. Os resultados foram organizados em três estudos: um estudo teórico (Estudo 1) que se refere a busca de estudos, através de uma revisão narrativa de literatura, que discutam as experiências maternas em relação à amamentação e desmame; o primeiro estudo empírico (Estudo 2) que refere-se à investigação sobre como as mães experienciam a prática da amamentação por dois anos ou mais, quais os modelos implicados em tal prática e o lugar ocupado pelo pai nesse contexto; e o segundo estudo empírico (Estudo 3) que investiga quais os aspectos relacionados ao processo de desmame de crianças amamentadas até os dois anos ou mais, dando-se ênfase em três aspectos: aos sentimentos de ambivalência relatados pelas mães em relação ao desmame, aos motivos que as levaram a desmamar os filhos e a vigilância e coerção social em torno dessa prática. O conjunto dos principais resultados encontrados nos três estudos indica a importância de repensar questões de saúde e assistência à mulher e a criança que possam oferecer um suporte adequado para que as demandas socioculturais, históricas e subjetivas possam ser supridas. Ainda é preciso compreender que não se trata apenas de incentivar a prática da amamentação discursando sobre seus aspectos nutricionais e biológicos, mas sim entender a situação de vida de cada mulher. Entende-se que mudanças em termos socioculturais e históricos são complexas, no entanto, a oferta de suporte emocional adequado é possível. É preciso reconhecer as diferentes práticas das mulheres em relação à amamentação são marcadas por uma grande pressão social. Esta é fruto do controle da sociedade exercido sobre as mulheres, por exemplo, através das campanhas de incentivo à amamentação e da vigilância sobre o ato de amamentar e do desmame, das questões de gênero e do pouco conhecimento ou desconhecimento das experiências e sentimentos das mães por parte das pessoas que estão junto a elas e com essas trabalham. Portanto, ressalta-se ainda a importância de conhecer a rede de apoio da mulher que amamenta, uma vez que através dessa estrutura melhorada pode-se oferecer um atendimento em saúde ampliado e sob uma perspectiva biopsicossocial.

A família além de vivida cotidianamente, é pensada, refletida e pesquisada com diferentes enfoques e objetivos, por diferentes perspectivas teóricas, práticas e metodológicas. Para se estudar a família é preciso antes de tudo desnaturalizá-la e recuperar sua própria história, pois os modelos que hoje temos são resultados de processos de transformação da forma de se ver e educar a criança, como também do contexto social, histórico e cultural em que vivemos. Isso inclui o fenômeno da Violência Doméstica, e mais especificamente o uso de violência física de pais contra filhos, que apesar das modificações ocorridas na visão da criança e das práticas educativas na família ao longo do tempo, sempre existiu e persiste de forma endêmica em nossos dias, constituindo um problema de saúde pública, e requerendo estratégias de intervenção por parte dos serviços de saúde e desenvolvimento social. O presente projeto tem o objetivo de investigar, junto a pais e mães com histórico de violência física contra seus filhos, a visão sobre o que é educar uma criança, sobre seu papel de pai/mãe e sobre as conseqüências de seus comportamentos sobre o filho. Busca, dessa forma, trazer contribuições para uma melhor compreensão do problema da agressão física de pais contra filhos, necessária a programas de intervenção que ultrapassem ações punitivas e de cunho imediatista, visando transformações nas relações familiares a partir da consideração da ótica do agente agressor. Os entrevistados são pais e mães denunciados por agressão física contra os filhos ao Conselho Tutelar da cidade de Barretos ? SP. O modelo de entrevista utilizado é denominado ?história de vida temática?, que prevê inicialmente o relato da história de vida do entrevistado, complementada por um conjunto de tópicos previamente definidos pelo pesquisador. Optou-se pela não delimitação prévia do número de sujeitos, utilizando-se o ponto de saturação. Dessa maneira, foram realizadas seis entrevistas, tendo sido gravadas, transcritas e analisadas qualitativamente. A análise dos dados aponta inconsistências entre as concepções parentais a respeito do que é educar e de seu papel como educadores e as práticas educativas que utilizam com os filhos no cotidiano. Evidencia dificuldades dos pais em utilizar recursos educativos alternativos à punição física e uma naturalização cultural do bater como forma de colocar limites e disciplinar a criança; aponta também a falta de suporte social e econômico dos pais como fatores de risco e de estresse, e a necessidade de implementar programas de intervenção que promovam a integração entre suas concepções e práticas como educadores. / Nowadays, family is investigated, studied and the object of research of many theoretical perspectives, with different goals and methodologies. However, in order to study the family it is necessary to rescue its history, because the present models we have are the final result of a complex process of social, historical and cultural transformation, and also changes in the ways we see the childhood, what do parents expect from their children and the childrearing practices used to get to the educational goals. Domestic violence is included in all this process, especially the physical violence that parents use against their children, and that constitutes a public health problem in our context. The main objective of this research is to investigate points of view of parents that use physical violence against their children, their conceptions about the educational process, their role as parents and the consequences of their actions in the child?s development. In this direction, it searches contributions to understand the problem of physical violence of parents against their children, to improve intervention programs that overcome punitive actions, seeking effective transformation in family relationships, considering the parent?s point of view. The study was performed in a city of State of São Paulo through interviews with three mothers and three fathers from different families, that had been disclosed for physical violence against their children. Methodology was constructed in a qualitative perspective, using a model of semi-structured interview called ? Thematic Life History?, where participants expose their personal history since their childhood, followed by a previously defined list of topics. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and qualitatively analyzed. Data analysis revealed that parent?s conceptions are not corresponding to their every day actions with their children; the difficulty of parents at knowing or using alternative and non-violent chidrearing practices and a cultural and historical naturalization of the use of physical punishment to establish limits and discipline the child. It also points out the parents` low social and economical support as a risk factor and as the cause of stress for the studied families as well as the necessity of changes in intervention programs to offer the possibility of joining parents conceptions and practices, aiming the improvement of child`s positive global development.