Corporal Punishment Baumrind, D., Larzelere,

Corporal Punishment

Baumrind, D., Larzelere, R.E., and Cowan, P.A. "Ordinary Physical Punishment: Is it

Harmful? Comment on Gershoff (2002)." Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 128, No. 4,

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the issues raised by an earlier study (Gershoff, 2002) that had concluded that corporal punishment was not associated with any positive outcomes beyond immediate compliance with parental commands but was universally associated with negative outcomes in both the long and short-term. On that basis, Gershoff (2002) recommended a blanket injunction against any use of corporal punishment was supported by meta-analysis of 88 prior studies.

According to Baumrind, Larzelere, & Cowan (2002), that conclusion is not necessarily supported by the prior literature considered in that regard by Gershoff (2002). The principal criticisms of Gershoff (2002) were that the meta analysis failed to distinguish appropriately between and among variables that should have been differentiated in any analysis of those prior studies. For example, some of the studies relied upon did not distinguish between normative corporal punishment (i.e. non-injurious spanking used efficaciously within generally healthy family relationships) and abusive corporal punishment or physical abuse in the name of corrective parenting.

Relevance to the Issues and Implications

The analysis presented by Baumrind, Larzelere, & Cowan (2002) strongly suggests that, for any such studies to have any conceptual value, the most important aspect of research capable of identifying the relative value and risks associated with corporal punishment is the differentiation between normative corporal punishment of appropriate-age children within healthy families and other forms of corporal punishment and parental responses in other types of family situations. Further, the researchers conclude that corporal punishment must be studied in connection with parenting styles and with a focus of determining what role, if any, normative corporal punishment can play in healthy parenting rather than studied as an all-or-none question.

Button, D.M. "Social Disadvantage and Family Violence: Neighborhood Effects on Attitudes about Intimate Partner Violence and Corporal Punishment." American

Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 33, (2008):130 -- 147.

Summary

This article considers the relative significance of various micro-level characteristics of individuals and family systems as well as macro-level variables of crime in the community to identify their relationship to physical violence in families. More particularly, the researcher set out to determine whether and to what degree intrafamily violence is a function of crime levels in the surrounding community, whether and to what degree intrafamily violence is a function of individual characteristics and belief systems, and whether and to what degree different types of intrafamily violence are similarly related to those variables. Specifically, Button (2008) set out to identify and compare any differences in that regard between intimate partner violence and the use of corporal punishment within families.

The researcher determined that high community crime levels are positively associated with intimate partner violence but are not a factor in the use of corporal punishment. Conversely, perceptions about crime levels in the community are positively associated with the use of corporal punishment but are not a factor in intimate partner violence. The researcher also determined that prior studies concluding that race is a factor (in both issues) neglected to normalize for independent variables such as economic status and educational level and that after normalization, any correlation between race and the behaviors under investigation are specious. The researcher postulated that the relevance of community violence to intimate partner violence is a function of exposure to violence whereas the relevance of perceptions about community violence to corporal punishment to discipline children is a function of perceived need to compensate for external influences and risks to which children are exposed in high-crime communities.

Relevance to the Issues and Implications

The relevance of the study is that is suggests appropriate and efficacious application of community resources on family violence prevention based on the crime levels of the community. The research also disclosed the need to provide additional resources to help parents who were subjected to childhood abuse and men who are more inclined to perceive the need for corporal punishment when it is not appropriate largely by virtue of common beliefs about patriarchal roles in society in relation to disciplining children.

Caspi, a., Jaffe, S.R., Moffitt, T.E., Polo-Tomas, M., Price, T.S., and Taylor, a. "The

Limits of Child Effects: Evidence for Genetically Mediated Child Effects on Corporal Punishment but Not on Physical Maltreatment. Developmental Psychology, Vol. 40, No. 6, (2004): 1047 -- 1058.

Summary

This article examined the influence of genetic factors on the behaviors associated with the use of corporal punishment by parents. More specifically, Caspi, Jaffe, Moffitt, et al. (2004) set out to determine whether and to what degree the behaviors among children that are associated with the use of both normative corporal punishment and physical abuse are functions of heritable dispositions and conduct. The researchers had identified gaps in the prior literature in connection with identifying the specific behaviors of children that provoke punitive responses in adults, in connection with the relative influence of genetic mediators on the behavior of children and the responses of parents, and in connection with the limits of the influence of child behavior on parental responses.

The research concluded that, based on a comprehensive review of prior literature and on the basis of primary research in the form of interviews of parents and more than 1,000 twin children, there is a significant genetic causal factor in the behaviors in children that provoke the use of normative corporal punishment in parents. Conversely, there are no genetic influences with respect to the behaviors of children whose behavior provokes non-normative (i.e. abusive) physical responses in parents. According to the study, genetic influences do play a role in the use of non-normative punishment, but those genetic influences are particular to parents and not children.

Relevance to the Issues and Implications

The findings of this study offer valuable insight into counseling families in which discipline is an issue. It suggests that problems in connection with the frequent use of normative corporal punishment are best addressed by counseling children and parents about their mutual influence on one another and educating them with respect to resolving behavior problems before they require normative corporal punishment. Meanwhile, the study illustrates the need to resolve problems associated with non-normative physical abuse in response to behavioral issues as exclusively an issue of parents rather than of child behavior. The implication is that physical abuse of children under the guise of corporal punishment is, for all intents and purposes, exclusively a problem attributable to parents and to family issues and not to child behavior.

D'Onofrio, B.M., Emery, R.E., Lynch, S.K., Martin, N.G., Mendle, J., Slutske, W.S.,

and Turkheimer, E. "A Genetically Informed Study of the Association Between

Harsh Punishment and Offspring Behavioral Problems." Journal of Family

Psychology, Vol. 20, No. 2, (2006): 190 -- 198.

Summary

This study also considered the genetic component of behavior: by using twins, it sought to eliminate the variable of genetic influences by controlling for it. Specifically, the researchers interviewed approximately 900 twin pairs and approximately 2,500 non-twin children with respect to parenting style and compared those data to their subsequent outcome in terms of delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse, and criminal conduct. The study determined that in all cases (i.e. non-twins, twins reared together, and twins reared separately), the use of normative corporal punishment for disciplinary purposes was not associated with any negative outcomes. Meanwhile, the use of harsh corporal punishment that exceeds the recommendations of experts who support normative corporal punishment universally resulted in negative behavioral outcomes in terms of delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse, and criminal conduct.

Importantly, this study confirms the analysis presented by Baumrind, Larzelere, & Cowan (2002) in refuting the conclusions of Gershoff (2002). In that regard, this study concludes that normative corrective discipline in the form of corporal punishment that meets the guidelines of experts who support its appropriate use is not detrimental to the psychological or behavioral development of children. However, the use of harsh corporal punishment and physically abusive responses of parents is universally associated with negative outcomes.

Relevance to the Issues and Implications

This study is especially helpful in connection with distinguishing the appropriate use of normative corporal punishment by parents. Irrespective of whether or not parents choose to resort to normative corporal punishment, the decision should reflect accurate information about its potential benefits and negative consequences. Whereas all authorities are unified in their view of non-normative physical abuse, this study provides valuable data suggesting that all forms of harsh physical punishment should be avoided. Finally, it allows for appropriate parental autonomy in connection with the decision to employ normative corporal punishment and differentiates it conceptually from harsh corporal punishment and physical abuse.

Mulvaney, MK. And Mebert, C.J. "Parental Corporal Punishment Predicts Behavior

Problems in Early Childhood." Journal of Family Psychology, Vol. 21, No. 3,

(2007): 389 -- 397.

Summary

This article reported the results of research into the possible effects of corporal punishment on children. More particularly, the researchers investigated the consequences to child behavior among children at two ages 36 months and first-grade level. The data supported the conclusion that children subjected to parental discipline in the form of normative corporal punishment exhibited a small but statistically significant increase in negative behaviors as compared with children at the same ages who were not subjected to corporal punishment. Further, the research results also indicated that the negative outcomes associated with corporal punishment were increased in children with difficult temperaments. On the basis of those data, the researchers concluded that, contrary to other studies supporting the use of normative corporal punishment, that form of discipline is a causal factor in perpetuating behavior problems among children.

Relevance to the Issues and Implications

The findings of the study are highly relevant to the issue of whether or not any use of corporal punishment is appropriate and beneficial. The researchers suggest several specific implications: First, that despite the relatively small magnitude of negative consequences, they might be substantially detrimental to society taken in the aggregate with respect to the total amount of deviant and criminal conduct to which they may contribute. Second, to whatever extent parents may still choose to resort to corporal punishment, the implication of this study is that the existence of difficult temperaments in children should militate strongly against that decision.