In the light of the psychological literature which indicates various contradictions regarding talk about and practice of the physical punishment of children (PPC), the main aim of this study is to identify and examine parents' rationales which bolster PPC. This study is based on semistructured interviews with 10 parents, and discourse analysis, a form of qualitative data analysis which is sensitive to the range and complexity of discourses presented by the participants. The parents used four oppositional discourses: (1) pedagogic (educational); (2) cathartic (need relief); (3) individualistic (power assertion); and (4) cyclical (reproduction). The study concludes that parents' talk contains much confusion and complexity regarding PPC. Participants' discourse generally implies the oppressive positioning of children and consequently offers support for PPC. The study also highlights the utility of discourse analysis as a method of interrogating regarding PPC and other phenomena related to child abuse and neglect. References