Research shows that there is an ongoing debate over corporal punishment and non-physical disciplinary measures for children. This debate asks to numerous questions: Do you spare or use the rod? The results can vary for both, sparing the rod can be damaging to establishing order in your child. As well, using the rod can affect the child’s long term mental behaviors, social norm, and the parental relationship. An article by John Fletcher titled, “Positive Parenting, not physical punishment” he addresses some of the concerns regarding corporal punishment. “Is spanking wrong? Clearly, hitting anyone in anger or when losing an argument is bad behaviour. To do this to children sets a bad example and may only teach them that violence is a means to getting their own way” (J.Fletcher 2012) By exploring the need of corporal punishment as it relates to it effect on children’s cognitive behaviors to punishment, alternative punishment methods and non-physical discipline may prove to be the best disciplinary method for children today.
According to Miriam Websters Dictionary, corporal punishment as it pertains to children is defined as “punishment administered by an adult (as a parent or a teacher) to the body of a child ranging in severity from a slap to a spanking.” (M. Webster n.d.) Corporal punishment as it relates to children is sometimes administered in a school setting by administrators or teachers, however most corporal punishment is administered at home by a parent, guardian or other relative. Typically the discipline is given in the form of a spanking or whipping; sometimes discipline is given in the form of smacking or slapping the child. This type of discipline, although it has possibly shown positive short term results and changes in achieving the desired behavior; the long term negative effects have far surpassed the positives of corporal punishment as a discipline as it relates our children. The research shows that children’s mental reactions to punishment rather physical or non-physical can have a unique effect. Depending on the severity of physical punishment the re-actions can be counteractive long term. The results may stem from: physiological problems, anxiety, drug and alcohol usage, and lifelong family to family effects.
Physical punishment is linked to insecure attachment and poorer relationships between children and parents, and to a variety of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide. Physical punishment has been linked to numerous undesirable social consequences, including violence, undesirable disruptive behavior at school, and absence of acceptance by friends, criminality and negligence (A.B. Smith 2006). Children’s cognitive and intellectual development is also negatively affected by parents use of physical punishment.
The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) is specialized in upholding the rights, education and overall wellness of our children at home, school and in the community. (S Paintal, 2007) Parents that believe that corporal punishment is a way to control their children usually have come from a similar upbringing themselves. Regardless of race or socio-economic status, the effects of corporal punishment affect children in their adult years. Corporal punishment can also lead to a child growing up helpless, feeling worthless and unloved. These types of feelings will play a major role in how a child perceives their parents and also how a child grows up feeling about them self. According to P. Sureshrani, “Corporal punishment most often produces in its victims anger, resentment, and low self-esteem. It teaches violence and revenge as solutions to problems and perpetuates itself, as children imitate what they see adults doing.” (S.Paintal, 2007) As parents we have to set a better example and me more of a role model for our children to see and not expect them to follow our rules and demands.
The American Psychoanalytic Association has this to say on the matter:
Physical punishment is a serious public health problem in the United States, and it profoundly affects the mental health of children and the society in which we live. Studies show that approximately 65% of adults in the United States approve of physical punishment and about 50% of families use physical punishment to discipline children. Yet, research shows that physical punishment is associated with increases in delinquency, antisocial behavior, and aggression in children, and decreases in the quality of the parent-child relationship, children's mental health, and children's capacity to internalize socially acceptable behavior. Adults who have been subjected to physical punishment as children are more likely to abuse their own child or spouse and to manifest criminal behavior (Gershoff 2008).
The long term effects on our children lead most to believe that corporal punishment is not needed and is detrimental in a childs early years and effects them long into adulthood. The social behavior of our children will be altered negatively due to corporal punishment. The rise in aggressive behavior towards peers, siblings and adults is almost sure to rear its ugly head when children are spanked growing up. (A.B. Smith 2006) Children learn to solve problems via hitting instead learning how to manage their conflict with their words. As parents we attempt to teach our children to “use your words” however our actions as parents show the total opposite. Children are not able to understand the difference. The old saying, “do as I say and not as I do” is a perfect example of a failed situation concerning hitting.
The Ministry of Social Development conducted a study and stated that, “A sociocultural perspective on development suggests that children’s cognitive development emerges out of social interactions. Social relationships such as early attachment to caregivers, friendships and collaborative learning between peers, and relationships between children and teachers, directly and indirectly influence children’s learning and motivation to learn” (A.B. Smith 2006). The quality of the parent to child relationship is also another factor that is bound to suffer when corporal punishment is a part of a childs upbringing. Children do not understand that part of loving discipline involves hitting them. Think about that for a second, loving and hitting in the same sentence. Children really have difficulty seeing how hitting shows love. “One concern arising out of attachment theory is that the use of physical punishment can have an adverse effect on the quality of the relationships between children and their parents. Children’s secure attachment is fostered by warm, positive parent–child interactions and negatively associated with harshly punitive interactions” (A.B. Smith 2006). Negative disciplinary techniques tend to have an adverse effect on the parent child relationship.
The mental health issues that also come from a childhood of spanking will show up in their life as an adult. Depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and other mental concerns can develop and left untreated can have lifelong effects. (A.B. Smith 2006) “... reviewed 12 studies of physical punishment and mental health in childhood, and eight studies of physical punishment and mental health in adulthood. Again, there was complete consistency in the findings of these studies that mental health problems in childhood and adulthood were associated with the use of physical punishment.” Internalizing the symptoms that are left behind after growing up with regular spankings will hinder an individual’s relationship in the future. The worry of boys that grow up with anger management issues and thus are perpetrators of domestic violence is common. The girls may also have issues with self-esteem and thus turn to eating disorders or become victims of domestic violence themselves. The combination issues are almost endless.
“While some have studied child characteristics that seem to lead to abuse, Gershoff focused more on adult characteristics, and found corporal punishment was more likely when parents were younger, female, more aggressive, depressed, inconsistent and ineffective in their parenting style, or reliant on authoritarian techniques. These are the same risk factors for abusive behaviors. Thus, Gershoff argues that the risks of “normal” spanking turning into abusive discipline deserve serious consideration. (Gershoff 2008).
While some may believe that disciplining children by spanking helps with teaching the child right from wrong, the opposite is true. It does not assist in learning. Instead, it may stop the undesired behavior only while the child is in the presence of the adult administering the corporal punishment or discipline. What also may happen is the child may be scared of the adult and only respond to the type of punishment solely out of fear. Granted many may argue that it will teach a child what not to do, however it will not give the child any alternative as to what is expected of them in the future in order to avoid the same result. Keep in mind, corporal punishment is usually used when the parent is already frustrated and considers their disciplinary options limited. Spanking a child under these circumstances may lead to an accidental injury or more serious abuse.
With corporal punishment bleeding over into so many different areas of early childhood life and also into early adulthood there has to be a better way. Some children fall victim to spanking after already getting into an altercation with another individual or peer. As the saying goes, “two wrongs do not make a right.” We cannot forget that the use of aggression after being physically punished for aggressive behavior is likely to be seen as an escalation of misbehavior, which was also associated with greater use of corporal punishment. Thus, corporal punishment is likely to perpetuate the problem. There numerous alternative punishment methods that can be used instead of corporal punishment. As adults we should remember that our children are new to this life and the way of doing things. They are constantly learning about the world and do not always know the “rules” society has for children and adults to follow and consider appropriate. Understanding and remembering adult rules and social norms are one of the many hurdles our little people have to deal with.
Many times parents place children in situations without defining what acceptable behavior is. Effective discipline is what helps a child develop. Self-control by teaching them, guiding them, displaying model behaviors and explaining what is expected of them to where they can understand is a better way of raising and disciplining children. Effective discipline starts with our attitudes about children and their behavior. Teaching children conflict resolution skills will allow for children to learn appropriate ways to handle issues that may cause them to become frustrated or upset. Providing consistency and structure in a child’s daily routine will allow for children to feel more in control of their day to day behavior. The research shows that alternative behaviors such as: time outs, writing assignments, and restricted use of electronic devices can be a better suited form of punishment. Being a parent that is able to encourage and praise a child when things are good will lead to a better way of childrearing than reacting to only the undesirable behavior.
Corporal punishment seems to be a serious debate in our society. The variances in the conclusion can be studied and analyzed on numerous methods, time periods, or by a variety of professionals. The existence seems alarming to some and glorified by others. The perceptions of what is justifiable biblically, historically or legally does not seem to take a strong enough stance for total acceptance. However, the disadvantages and strong oppositions against corporal punishment do not also forego the solidified meaning and its practical usage.
By exploring the behaviors of children that stem from corporal punishment one can see why the issue is important. Children behaviors can contain negative psychological attitudes such as passive-aggressive, mental dysfunction, and emotional instability. The long term effects of corporal punishment can range from adult drug use to family domestic problems. This issue can be addressed by the use of alternative non-physical punishment. Without alternatives, parents brought up with spanking may simply substitute shouting or some other form of punishment. Continued research can show methods and techniques into which non-physical punishment will work for children in school, home, or in the community.
Part of natural childhood development is for children to “push the envelope”. Children will sometimes challenge their parents authority or test the parental figure that is the disciplinarian. Children unfortunately will misbehave also to gain attention from someone as well. Attention is a top reason children will misbehave. Children need attention and if they feel as if that need is not being met then, they will act out in a way to gain some type of attention unfortunately for them it could be undesirable attention. Children are not born learning right from wrong, it is something they learn; they will not know what is acceptable or unacceptable they have to be taught. Discipline is that teacher.
There are many ways to encourage your child to have good behavior instead of hitting them. The most important thing you can do is to have a healthy, positive, and supportive relationship with your child. Managing a child's behavior works best when they know in advance what is expected of them. Setting clear limits provide children with a sense of stability. Children also need to feel safe and have a sense of stability throughout their daily activities. Remember a child is constantly learning how to behave acceptably in this adult world. The absence of praise or recognition when all is well with the child will not make your job any easier. Praising good behavior is called positive reinforcement and leads to more of that positive behavior.
Many parents may need help with discipline issues. Help can be as close as parenting classes at a community center, positive discipline books from the local library and the internet. Discipline allows children to develop self-discipline, and helps them become emotionally and socially mature adults. Simply discouraging corporal punishment is not enough. Instead of physical forms of discipline, lessons can be taught to empower the thoughts of positive reinforcements and natural logical consequences. Parents need to be re-educated as to how to discipline their children. Corporal punishment is not needed in society today. I believe it produces more harm than good for our children. What children need to day is discipline. And discipline is about changing behavior, not about hitting children.
Annotated Bibliography
American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA). (June 2013) Retrieved May 16, 2014, from http://www.apsa.org/About_APsaA/Position_Statements/Physical_Punishment.aspx Busienei, A. J. (2012). Alternative methods to corporal punishment and their efficacy. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies, 3(2), 155-161. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1439253800?accountid=32521
Corporal Punishment. (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corporal/punishment
Ministry of Social Development. (March 2006) Anne B. Smith Retrieved on May 18, 2014 from http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/journals-and-magazines/social-policy-journal/spj27/the-state-of-research-on-effects-of-physical-punishment-27-pages114-127.html
Paintal, S. (2007). Banning corporal punishment of children. Childhood Education, 83(6), 410-413. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/210392836?accountid=32521
Psych Page. (December 2010) Richard Niolon PhD Retrieved May 16, 2014, from http://www.psychpage.com/family/disc.html
Fletcher, John, MB,B.Chir, M.P.H. (2012). Positive parenting, not physical punishment. Canadian Medical Association.Journal, 184(12), 1339. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1038947519?accountid=32521
