Strongest evidence yet against spanking

[themilesfamily]

This study came out today:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100412/hl_time/08599198101900

"Compared with children who were not hit, those who were spanked were more likely to be defiant, demand immediate satisfaction of their wants and needs, get frustrated easily, have temper tantrums and lash out physically against others."

"Now researchers at Tulane University provide the strongest evidence yet against the use of spanking: of the nearly 2,500 youngsters in the study, those who were spanked more frequently at age 3 were more likely to be aggressive by age 5. The research supports earlier work on the pitfalls of corporal punishment, including a study by Duke University researchers that revealed that infants who were spanked at 12 months scored lower on cognitive tests at age 3."

"Spanking may stop a child from misbehaving in the short term, but it becomes less and less effective with repeated use, according to the AAP; it also makes discipline more difficult as the child gets older and outgrows spanking."

Can we just agree to stop hitting children and animals? -- i.e. living things who can't defend themselves against someone bigger and stronger. There is a mountain of evidence as to the negative effects of hitting kids.

Love this quote. "When you hit and humiliate a child all you're teaching him is to hit and humiliate."

 

[Robinrs]

I saw this this morning. The study sample was of 2500 children. That's less people than were in my apartment building in Brooklyn!

Like my professor used to say.. there are lies, then there are bigger lies... then there are statistics.

 

[AshleyW]

I was spanked and I turned out just fine.

 

[MomRN]

Like my professor used to say.. there are lies, then there are bigger lies... then there are statistics.

 

[LuvBug1977]

And then there are the schools in the South where you actually still have to send a note to the Elementary School Principal that they can not spank your child!!

 

[TheZue]

I've always thought spanking is taking the easy way out. There are better ways to discipline/reward kids that take just a tiny bit more effort and are just as effective; if not more so.

 

[Minnesota!]

I still believe in spanking. I grew up in a non-spanking household. My brother was in and out of prison for just about 12 years. A little discipline and fear of authority would have done him well.

My own personal situation and what I have witnessed in life trumps any study I read about...

 

[threecrazykids]

I think there is a huge difference between people who spank for EVERYTHING and people who spank only when a situation might warrant it (whatever that may be). And yes a statistic of 2500 people doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.

 

[ozarkmom]

I haven't done any formal research. I do know that less parents spank or discipline at all than when I was growing up. I also know that there are more foul mouthed, rude, kids who do not think they have to follow rules. There are more kids who for some reason think that the universe revolves around them and cannot handle the word no. I see more kids that are involved with drugs and drinking and many other things. I'm not saying it's because they're not spanked but I do know that there is a definate lack of discipline and an overabundance of children that do not respect authority or know how to behave. I hear from my friends that teach and I see it all the time.

 

[agnes!]

I would like to know the study's definition of "more frequently".

agnes!

 

[mking624]

I think there is a huge difference between people who spank for EVERYTHING and people who spank only when a situation might warrant it (whatever that may be). And yes a statistic of 2500 people doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.

I fully agree. I was spanked and am absolutely fine. I also know people who were not spanked and turned out exactly the way this study claims spanked children will turn out.

 

[happygirl]

I will continue to spank my kids as I see fit

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I've seen some pretty strong evidence against spanking in my special ed preschool class. Those who are spanked at home have no problem hitting the classroom staff when things don't go their way at school. They have figured out that we won't hit back. We have two kids right now whose parents have told us they spank their kids for discipline. Those are the two who have no qualms about hitting, kicking, spitting at and biting the staff and sometimes the other kids. I've seen one kid hitting his mom outside when she was dropping him off. Apparently, it's not working! We encourage positive reinforcement for discipline. Give the child something to work for (like a trip to the park, 1/2 hour of video game play, a favorite dessert after dinner, etc.). Don't give the reward if the behavior doesn't improve. Be prepared for worse behavior when you don't give the reward but don't give in. Eventually it will get better. It works for us all the time and we've never once hit a kid!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I'm still taking a 'to each his own' stance on this-- however, I can see where a little swat on the toosh differs from borderline abuse. We saw an example of this the other day in the parking lot at Target when this dad tells his adorable little girl to get out of the street, and as a typical little kid, he had to tell her again-- but this time he completely lost his cool, screamed at her, and did a full-on backhand motion as if he hits her regularly. That's where I think this "Compared with children who were not hit, those who were spanked were more likely to be defiant, demand immediate satisfaction of their wants and needs, get frustrated easily, have temper tantrums and lash out physically against others." quote rings true. (Quote from OP's post) That's exactly what the parent like the dad above is teaching his child. Of course children like that are defiant and lash out against others, that's what they're taught by their parents-- but he's on the "abusive" end of the spectrum, not just a swat on the tooshie as a form of discipline.

Abuse is always wrong-- I don't know if these studies separate a little swat on the toosh from the parent losing his/her cool and out-and-out hitting the kid. I think "spanking" has a very different meaning to different people.

ETA: I'm more of a "time out" and "disapproving look and tone of voice" kind of parent. I just didn't want to be misconstrued.

 

[TheZue]

I don't understand how no spanking somehow means no discipline. My kids aren't spanked, they hear no several times a day. And my youngest howls like he's about to get spanked when he's getting hauled off to time out, I can't think of a single reason to EVER hit that boy. For most kids the pain isn't the deterent, it's knowing they're in trouble. I was spanked too, and I'm fine too, doesn't mean we can't do better than our parents for our kids.

 

[Golf4food]

Like my professor used to say.. there are lies, then there are bigger lies... then there are statistics.

And 88.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Signed,

He who was proudly disciplined via spanking as a child by loving parents and is not now a serial killer later in life.

 

[iwrbnd]

I saw this this morning. The study sample was of 2500 children. That's less people than were in my apartment building in Brooklyn!

Like my professor used to say.. there are lies, then there are bigger lies... then there are statistics.

I agree. You can't prove anything with a statistic. I'm not saying my stance on spanking but I recently saw a new study on spanking that it was only detrimental if the family dynamics thought it was. For example, if the society saw it as a means of punishment the children accepted it and learned positively from it. However, if the dynamics around the child thought it was bad to spank and then did it anyway it had negative effects on the child. Perception does a lot to how we internalize things.

I can count on one hand how many times I had to spank my kids but they knew what they did wrong and never did it again!

 

[ilovepcot]

"Compared with children who were not hit, those who were spanked were more likely to be defiant, demand immediate satisfaction of their wants and needs, get frustrated easily, have temper tantrums and lash out physically against others."

I imagine this is the behavior that necessitated the "spankings" in the first place. The spankings didn't *cause* these behaviors...they were there all along.

 

[luvsJack]

I haven't done any formal research. I do know that less parents spank or discipline at all than when I was growing up. I also know that there are more foul mouthed, rude, kids who do not think they have to follow rules. There are more kids who for some reason think that the universe revolves around them and cannot handle the word no. I see more kids that are involved with drugs and drinking and many other things. I'm not saying it's because they're not spanked but I do know that there is a definate lack of discipline and an overabundance of children that do not respect authority or know how to behave. I hear from my friends that teach and I see it all the time.

ITA!!


This may be because too many parents think "no spanking" means "no discipline" but the fact still remains.

 

[punkin]

infants who were spanked at 12 months scored lower on cognitive tests at age 3.

OK, who spanks an infant? I generally do not believe in spanking, but I have done it once or twice, but NEVER a baby that age. It's not like she can understand why you are doing it at that age.