Fifty-nine participants had been reported as abusive mothers; the rest were selected from the general population. The study used an instrument containing six items relating to beliefs and a list of punishments. Moderate punishment was defined as slapping, spanking, insulting, swearing, stamping out of the room or house, pushing, grabbing, or shoving, whereas severe punishment consisted of burning, scalding, kicking, biting, or hitting with a fist or object. The responses to the questionnaire were contrasted with the reports the mothers gave regarding the physical punishment they inflicted on their children. Factor analysis indicated a significant and high correlation between the beliefs factor and a corrective punishment factor. Parents using corrective punishment were more likely than others to abuse their children physically. Findings indicated that the direct, significant effect of the parent's beliefs on the punishment of children explains much about the child abuse problem in the society studied. In addition, moderate punishment should not be considered innocuous in view of findings of Straus and Fry that the use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary strategy tends to increase aggressiveness in children and the probability of juvenile delinquency in adolescence and violent crime as an adult. Figures, tables, and 23 references (Author abstract modified)