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Why we still spank our children in the US: Is there a role for corporal punishment in raising children?
Author(s) -
Walters Anne S.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the brown university child and adolescent behavior letter
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1556-7575
pISSN - 1058-1073
DOI - 10.1002/cbl.30365
Subject(s) - corporal punishment , spanking , psychology , aggression , punishment (psychology) , developmental psychology , raising (metalworking) , suicide prevention , social psychology , medicine , poison control , medical emergency , geometry , mathematics
In last month's CABL , our managing editor Alison Knopf reviewed the most recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) statement about spanking/corporal punishment. Notably, there are no benefits associated with corporal punishment, and many disadvantages. These include negative effects on the parent‐child relationship, increased aggression in children, increased risk of mental health disorders, and cognitive problems. Further, in families that are already experiencing stress, these risks are increased. As professionals working with children, we know this in a way that we know few other things about child rearing. And yet, most American parents (65%) still spank their children. Some research even suggests that for parents that utilize corporal punishment, they probably do it more often than they report to therapists.