The Effects of Physical Punishment

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The Effects of Physical Punishment

The debate whether the use of physical punishment (e.g. spanking, slapping) should be used as a form of discipline is a controversial one. Some parents believe that there is nothing wrong with physical punishment, while some parents believe that physical punishment should only be used in certain instances (e.g. spanking or slapping a child for touching or playing with something dangerous), and then there are parents who believe that a child should never be physically punished. While most people agree that getting physical (hitting) with someone is wrong, physically punishing a child continues to be uses as an acceptable form of discipline. Most parents use physical punishment as a means to stop a child from engaging in unacceptable behavior or to get a child to comply(Gershoff, 2010), such reasons may be effective in the short term, however a parent should not only be focusing on the short term they should be focusing on the long term results. The goals of a parent should be promoting good behavior with rewards thus producing long term compliance. Physical punishment decreases positive behaviors thus affecting a child’s behavior opposite to what the parents intended.

Physical Injury and Abuse

The act of physical punishment such as spanking is defined as physical force used to cause momentary pain, but not to cause injury to a child in order to control or correct negative behavior(Straus, 2000 as cited by Rodriguez, 2010). Because physical punishment involves physical force by a parent, who is much larger and stronger, the potential to cause injury to a child is high; even when a parent does not intend for such to happen (Gershoff, 2010).

There is a fine line between physical pun...

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...es not promote long term compliance, in fact physical punishment decreases positive behaviors thus affecting a child’s behavior opposite to what the parents intended. Physical punishment does more harm than good to a child.

Works Cited

Erath, S. A., El-Sheikh, M., & Mark Cummings, E. E. (2009). Harsh parenting and child externalizing behavior: Skin conductance level reactivity as a moderator. Child Development, 80(2), 578-592. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01280.x

Gershoff, E. T. (2010). More harm than good: A summary of scientific research on the intended and unintended effects of corporal punishment on children. Law & Contemporary Problems, 73(2), 31-56. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Rodriguez, C. M. (2010). Parent--child aggression: Association with child abuse potential and parenting styles. Violence & Victims, 25(6), 728-741. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.25.6.728

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