CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

WHERE WE STAND

• 1870s: US courts rescinded commmon-law principle
• Today: many laws against hitting criminals, prisoners, etc.
• Population still unprotected by law: children
• 2006: UN Convention on the Right of the Child agreement - US didn't ratify
• US: 2.1 out of every 1000 children experience substantial abuse

"POSITIVE" EFFECTS?

• Immediate compliance (short-lived)
• Less or as effective as non-violent techniques (time-outs)

NEGATIVE EFFECTS

• Moral internalization
• Aggression, delinquent/antisocial behavior
• Poor parent-child relationship
• Low rate of internalizing morals & values
• Cognitive development?

Risk of CP: Physical Abuse

Parent intend to discipline (spank) for wrong behavior -> build of anger/punishment perceived ineffective -> CP more severe (more force, use of object) -> child badly injured

HOW TO HELP PARENTS

• Positive/negative reinforcement strategies
• Parent training programs
• Educational videos
• Community forum to improve social support

Sources

• Knox, M. "On Hitting Children: A Review of Corporal Punishment in the United States." J Pediatric Health Care. 2010 Mar-Apr; 24(2): 103-7.
• Zolotor, A. "Corporal Punishment." Pediatric Clinic of N America. 2014, vol 61, issue 5, 971-978.
• MacKenzie, M. et al. "Corporal Punishment and child behavioural and cognitive outcomes thorugh 5 years of age." Infant Child Dev. 2012;21:3-33.