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Correlates and Consequences of Spanking and Verbal Punishment for Low‐Income White, African American, and Mexican American Toddlers
Author(s) -
Berlin Lisa J.,
Ispa Jean M.,
Fine Mark A.,
Malone Patrick S.,
BrooksGunn Jeanne,
BradySmith Christy,
Ayoub Catherine,
Bai Yu
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01341.x
Subject(s) - spanking , psychology , corporal punishment , developmental psychology , ethnic group , punishment (psychology) , child discipline , african american , poison control , injury prevention , social psychology , medicine , ethnology , environmental health , sociology , anthropology , history
This study examined the prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of spanking and verbal punishment in 2,573 low‐income White, African American, and Mexican American toddlers at ages 1, 2, and 3. Both spanking and verbal punishment varied by maternal race/ethnicity. Child fussiness at age 1 predicted spanking and verbal punishment at all 3 ages. Cross‐lagged path analyses indicated that spanking (but not verbal punishment) at age 1 predicted child aggressive behavior problems at age 2 and lower Bayley mental development scores at age 3. Neither child aggressive behavior problems nor Bayley scores predicted later spanking or verbal punishment. In some instances, maternal race/ethnicity and/or emotional responsiveness moderated the effects of spanking and verbal punishment on child outcomes.