Spanking Children is Directly Linked to Aggression

In this day and age, it seems common sense to many people that spanking children is not a good form of discipline. However, spanking still continues, regardless of how many studies are done and professional recommendations are made to remind parents that the results of spanking children as punishment is in fact harmful to nearly every aspect of their life. In fact, surveys show that nearly 90% of parents are still using spanking as a way to discipline their children and therefore ignoring what is best for their children.

A study was conducted involving using spanking as punishment for toddlers. The results of the study clearly show that this type of discipline significantly raises the child's risk of becoming aggressive, even to the point of becoming a bully.

Researchers from Tulane University conducted a study that suggests that children that were spanked as punishment were two times as likely as children that were not spanked at developing aggressive behaviors such as destroying things, getting into physical fights, and being mean toward other people.

The study involved a survey of 2500 parents who had young children. Researchers then asked parents how frequently they "spank" their young children. Lead researcher for the study, Catherine A. Taylor, stated that this factor alone is truly what plays the key role for setting this study apart.

Taylor also explained that causality is what is extremely difficult to pinpoint and prove. However, the evidence still provided enough strength for parents to be encouraged to use different techniques other than spanking in order to potentially lower the child's risk of being aggressive.

Even though researchers were forced to base their findings on what parents told them, the findings still managed to echo the information that stands behind anti-spanking recommendations involving many professionals' societies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association.

Evidence is clear across the board that spanking in fact leads to hostility. Spanking is defined as an open-handed hit that does not, or should not, injure a child, but rather is intended to make children listen to what they are told for the short term. Spanking in no way, shape, or form is an effective or beneficial means of punishment in the long run however, and in fact is rather harmful.

Many psychologists will recommend that parents have a time-out system in place in the household or other forms of non-physical discipline. If parents do not have luck with the time-out system, then psychologists suggest that the parents wait until they let their anger subside before even dealing with the issue. Then, the parent should sit down and talk to the child about the problem when their anger is under control.

If parents still need help disciplining their child, it is recommended that they speak with their pediatrician about better ways to control their toddler. Discipline is absolutely important and beneficial to children, but parents often forget that children need guidance as well. Parents should focus on positive and non-physical forms of punishment and avoid spanking at all costs.

Reference:

Woods, T. PhD. 2010. Swatting Children as Punishment is Linked to Aggression.