Boutwell: How People Spank Their Children

In this study, Boutwell used children born in 2001 to examine the first 5 years of their lives, gathering data in waves from 2001, 2003, and 2005. They tested 5450 males and 5250 females, to gather information about whether or not there is a correlation between how often the they’ve have been spanked in their childhood to behavioral issues including antisocial tendencies. The parents of the children in the study were given personal interviews and a self report questionare throughout these years to see how often they spank their children and any behavior and personality issues they may have as a result. They collected information regarding the childs motor skills, mental growth, speaking ability, and conduct. They researchers tested how impulsive

They interviewed 585 families from Knoxville. Tennesee, Nashville, Tennesee, and Bloomington, Indiana. Children ages 5-16 were used in this sample.The researchers gathered data by conducting a 90 minute interview, having parents fill out a child behavior checklist, and videotaping the interaction the mother has with her child by having her engage in three tasks. The tasks consisted of: role-playing, problem-solving, and engaging in conversation. The researchers also accounted for parent-child relationships and ecological disadvantages such as parental stress or raising their child as a single parent. The mother and the adolescent were given questionaries to rate the levels of antisocial behaviors the child engages in. Ecological disadvantages and externalizing behaviors correlated with harsh physical discipline. Antisocial behavior and subsequent parent-child relationships were associated with mild physical disipline. They also found that physical discipline affects older children more negatively than younger

This sample consisted of 4200 children from 20 U.S cites. The mother and fathers of 3 or 5 year olds were asked about how frequent they spanked their children. At ages 3 and 9 their parents were given an in-home interview asking about any rule-breaking, destructiveness, or agression the child exhibits. The children were given a test to determine their verbal capability and level of vocabulary. THe mothers answered questions about their childs level of control, their families characteristics, prenatal and maternal risks such as the mothers mental health and the influence of drugs or alcohol during the pregnancy. Both high and low frequency spanking at age 5 were a significant indication of behavioral problems at age 9. High frequency spanking was senonomous with low level vocabulary and cognitive learning scores. Overall, the results found show strong links to spanking and the childs agressive behavior and