Spanking and Child Development Across the First Decade of Life

Abstract

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: A large and growing literature has demonstrated significant associations between the use of spanking and later child aggression, but we know less about paternal spanking, effects of spanking on cognitive development, and longer-term effects.WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: Accounting for a broad array of risk factors, spanking predicts both aggression and receptive vocabulary across the first decade of life. Importantly, we include paternal spanking, cognitive outcomes, and a longitudinal span longer than that of much of the literature. abstract OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of maternal and paternal spanking of children at 3 and 5 years of age and the associations between spanking and children' s externalizing behavior and receptive vocabulary through age 9. METHODS:The Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study, a longitudinal birth cohort study of children in 20 medium to large US cities, was used. Parental reports of spanking were assessed at age 3 and 5, along with child externalizing behavior and receptive vocabulary at age 9 (N = 1933). The data set also included an extensive set of child and family controls (including earlier measures of the child outcomes). RESULTS:Overall, 57% of mothers and 40% of fathers engaged in spanking when children were age 3, and 52% of mothers and 33% of fathers engaged in spanking at age 5. Maternal spanking at age 5, even at low levels, was associated with higher levels of child externalizing behavior at age 9, even after an array of risks and earlier child behavior were controlled for. Father' s high-frequency spanking at age 5 was associated with lower child receptive vocabulary scores at age 9.CONCLUSIONS: Spanking remains a typical rearing experience for American children. These results demonstrate negative effects of spanking on child behavioral and cognitive development in a longitudinal sample from birth through 9 years of age. Pediatrics 2013;132:e1118-e1125 AUTHORS:

Wait until your father gets home? Mother's and fathers’ spanking and development of child aggression

“…A growing body of empirical research indicates that spanking is associated with the development of children's aggressive and antisocial behavior (Berlin et al, 2009;Gershoff, 2002;Grogan-Kaylor, 2004;Lansford et al, 2011;MacKenzie et al, 2013;Maguire-Jack et al, 2012). A recent FFCWS study showed that early maternal spanking is linked to children's behavioral problems through the first decade of life (MacKenzie et al, 2013).…”

“…A recent FFCWS study showed that early maternal spanking is linked to children's behavioral problems through the first decade of life (MacKenzie et al, 2013). One reason for this link may be that parents' use of spanking models the use of aggression to solve problems (Bandura, 1973), and children imitate their parents' use of aggression to solve their own conflicts or disagreements with peers and siblings.…”

“…spanking is detrimental to children and is associated with children's greater aggressive behavior (Berlin et al, 2009;Gershoff, 2002;Gershoff, 2013;Gershoff et al, 2012;Grogan-Kaylor, 2004;Lansford et al, 2011;Lee, Altschul, & Gershoff, 2013;MacKenzie et al, 2013;Maguire-Jack et al, 2012). However, prior studies of spanking that included fathers have generally examined predictors of fathers' spanking (Lee, Guterman, & Lee, 2008;Lee et al, 2011); fathers' spanking separately from mothers (Lee, Taylor, Altschul, & Rice, 2013;Prinzie et al, 2006); or did not examine the transactional nature of parent child interactions (Lee, Taylor, Altschul, & Rice, 2013).…”

“…By age 9 or 10, up to 94% of children have been spanked at least once in their lifetime (Straus & Stewart, 1999). For the most part, prior studies examining the effects of spanking on child wellbeing have focused on mothers' use of the practice (for exceptions see Lee, Taylor, Altschul, & Rice, 2013;MacKenzie, Nicklas, Waldfogel, & Brooks-Gunn, 2013); much less is known about the potential impacts of fathers' use of discipline. In the current study we address this gap and utilize a transactional parent-child framework to extend prior research regarding the nature of mother, father, and child relationships in the first five years of life.…”

Corporal punishment of children: discipline or abuse?

“…Corporal punishment negatively affects the internalization of moral values by the child and his relationship with his parents [15]. Physical punishment is linked to a slow regression of cognitive development as well as negative effects on the academic pathway [16–20], noncognitive performance and executive functions [21] as well as alterations in the dopaminergic regions associated with substances and alcohol abuse [22]. In particular, negative experiences in childhood predispose later in life, to multiple sexual partners, sexually transmitted diseases, teenage pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies, and early initiation of sexual activity [23].…”