Perceived parental acceptance−rejection mediates or moderates the relation between corporal punishment and psychological adjustment: Comment on Gershoff et al. (2018).

Abstract

Researchers and policymakers are engaged in an ongoing debate over the use of corporal punishment and how it potentially leads to short-term and long-term negative developmental consequences for children. In this comment on Gershoff et al. ( 2018), the authors provide evidence that children's perceptions of parental acceptanceϪrejection often partially-or even fully-mediate or moderate the reported effects of corporal punishment.

There is still no evidence that physical punishment is effective or beneficial: Reply to Larzelere, Gunnoe, Ferguson, and Roberts (2019) and Rohner and Melendez-Rhodes (2019).

“…We also agree with the comments that physical punishment should be discouraged and that yelling can be harmful to children (Rohner & Melendez-Rhodes, 2019). However, recognizing that yelling can be harmful does not negate the fact that physical punishment can also be harmful.…”

“…The authors’ original article (Gershoff et al, 2018) summarized the extensive body of research demonstrating that parents’ use of physical punishment is ineffective and linked with risk of detrimental outcomes for children. In this Reply, the authors agree with several points raised in two commentaries on the article (Larzelere, Gunnoe, Ferguson, & Roberts, 2019; Rohner & Melendez-Rhodes, 2019)—that statistical rigor is needed before making conclusions and that potential contextual moderators need to be considered. However, neither commentary negated the scientific inferences and conclusions of the Gershoff et al article or presented any convincing evidence that physical punishment is beneficial to children.…”

“…We agree with Rohner and Melendez-Rhodes (2019) that consideration of contextual moderators, including overall parenting style and cultural background, is important when investigating the potential influences of parenting practices; in our review, we cited a number of studies that used race−ethnicity, parenting style, and neighborhoods as moderators. These studies collectively found that physical punishment is linked with detrimental outcomes for all children, regardless of context.…”

“…We disagree with Rohner and Melendez-Rhodes’s (2019) implication that identifying moderators or mediators of the association between physical punishment and child harm somehow calls that association into question. Although we agree that mediators can explain why the association is there and that moderators can point to situations in which the association is stronger or weaker, they do not inherently contradict the finding that physical punishment is linked with harm to children.…”

Evidence‐based counseling for African‐American parents: A contextual humanistic perspective

“…(2019) argued that the greatest problem with the “evidence” against physical discipline antispanking researchers cite is that virtually all of the studies provided only correlational evidence and did not show a direct causal link between physical punishment and adverse outcomes in children. In addition, Rohner and Melendez‐Rhodes (2019) contended that cross‐cultural and intracultural evidence has shown that adverse effects (from spanking) are not often as direct or causal as antispanking research has reported.…”