Why Spanking Is Bad for Child Development
I still have fond memories of hanging out in the back of our family station wagon, without a seatbelt, looking at the drivers immediately behind our vehicle. Many of us growing up in that era also remember well-meaning parents who spanked us. Although many easily appreciate the wisdom and safety regarding current child seatbelt laws, some struggle with whether spanking is still a good idea.
Our summer camp near Chicago is always focused on positive child development. So we encourage some potentially reluctant parents (including—according to a recent NBC News poll—the majority of Americans who believe spanking is “sometimes appropriate.”) to check out recent research studies, elucidated in a recent article at http://didyouknowfacts.com/. Bullets below, with the whole article available at this link: http://didyouknowfacts.com/heres-what-getting-spanked-as-a-kid-did-to-your-personality-according-to-science/
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The majority of people over 30 likely grew up getting spanked at least occasionally
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In many cases, being spanked made kids more rebellious.
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According to a recent study published in the Journal of Family Psychology analyzing five decades of spanking research, children who are spanked often are “more likely to defy their parents and to experience increased anti-social behavior, aggression, mental health problems, and cognitive difficulties.”
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The more often adults were spanked as children, the more likely they were to later develop a host of negative outcomes, including mental health issues.
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Spanking was not associated with more immediate or long-term compliance.
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The negative effects of spanking correlate with those of physical abuse in childhood.