The Negative Effects Of Corporal Punishment On Children And Their Children

Think of the Children Cultures throughout the world view corporal punishment with varying degrees of approval. In thirty-three countries, most notably those in Scandinavia, physical discipline of children is illegal, which gives children the same rights to safety as spouses. In other countries, including the US, bodily punishment is legal and common. Despite the widespread use of corporal punishment, parents should not physically discipline their children. Due to the negative effects of corporal punishment on children’s futures, parents should not physically discipline their children. Corporally disciplined children tend to be more aggressive because they learn by example that violence is an acceptable way to interact with others. Physically punished children have lower rates of high school graduation and college attendance. These lowered rates, combined with increased aggression, may lead to greater incidence of misconduct, crime, and arrest as they grow older, which affect all aspects of the now-grown child’s life. Parents should not corporally punish their children because it creates negative social

One such variable may be child misbehavior. A person who is naturally more inclined to misbehave will be more likely to receive punishment as a child. Bodily punishment did not cause the child’s misbehavior; the child’s misbehavior caused the punishment (Stassen Berger). However, this theory cannot be ethically tested: if the corporal discipline is indeed harmful to child development, then scientists cannot potentially cause such harm to children in a study. Therefore, until other evidence comes to light, the correlation between physical punishment and depression, aggression, and crime should be considered causational in order to prevent further harm to