Spanking leads to behavioral problems in kids: Study

The research shows that this form of physical discipline adopted by parents impairs the cognitive abilities of the kids and also mars their overall development.

Experts noted that children are too young to understand the aggressive behavior of the parents. “Age one is a key time for establishing the quality of the parenting and the relationship between parent and the child," said lead researcher Lisa J. Berlin, of the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University.

"Spanking at age 1 reflects a negative dynamic, and increases children's aggression at age 2,” she added.

The study and its findings
Berlin and her colleagues focused on 2500 families with toddlers aged one, two or three and recorded the data on how often these children were spanked by their parents. The team also used recognized systems to measure the behavior and mental skills of the kids.

They found that on an average, around one-third of the one year-old children received more than two spankings in a week. Whereas, half of the two-year-old children received three spankings in a week, and similar rate of spankings was observed in the three-year-olds.

Children who started receiving spanking from the age one were more likely to show aggressive behavior when they turned two. And they scored low on the tests measuring the cognitive abilities when they were three, the researchers noted.

Low-income leads to stressed parenting
The researchers observed that spanking was more common in the low-income families who were already stressed because of their financial condition or other personal problems.

It was also noticed that the African-American children were spanked significantly more frequently as compared to white American or Mexican children.

"Low income, low educational attainment, single parenthood, family stress, and living in a dangerous neighborhood form a constellation of risk that increases the chances that parents will continue to use physical discipline with their children," the team concluded.

Another study finds spanking leads to anti-social behavior in the long term
In another study, the researchers tried to look at the long term effects of spanking on the children as they step into their teenage.

They studied 750 children aged between five and 16. It was found that parents generally reduce the physical discipline measures like spanking when the child gets older.

But the families which continued to follow the physical punishment, their children were more likely to show the aggressive behavior than those who were never spanked or stopped getting spanked when they were still young.

Dr. Jennifer Lansford, associate research professor with the Social Science Research Institute and Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University, who led the study, said that children whose parents start using physical disciplinary measures since their childhood, or children who were exposed to physical discipline most frequently were two to three times more likely to develop anti-social behavior when they step into their teenage.

This anti-social behavior included getting into fights, being disobedient at home or at school, general delinquency and being in trouble with teachers.

Physical discipline advised against
Experts say that spanking reinforces negative memories in the child's mind. Therefore, the parents should aim to build "prominent, happy memories" of childhood for their kids. All the parents can benefit from training classes regardless of their income level.

Dr. Lansford said, "Given these findings, mental health specialists and others who work with families should encourage parents to refrain from using physical discipline.”

"They should also help parents come up with alternate strategies for disciplining their children,” he added.

Both the studies appear in the journal Child Development.