Psychology

Studies in psychology have shown that there are short- and long-term effects from physically disciplining children, namely, spanking. Increased aggression, decreased gray matter growth in the brain, and mental health problems have all been linked to spanking and physically punishing children. It has been demonstrated that social and emotional development are shaped and influenced by spanking more than we had even realized.

For this assignment, write about some of the negative effects or possible dangers of physically punishing children and some of the behavioral strategies that can be used in discipline. Be sure to use scholarly sources (i.e. journal articles) or sources that reference actual studies. For this exercise you will need to operate from the scientific approach we discussed early on in our class, as there are a lot of opinions this subject based on emotion and personal experience.

To get you started, some behavioral strategies could include positive reinforcement (i.e. praise or rewards), behavior charts, token economies, “Grandma’s Rule,” (when you do X, you can have Y), and negative punishment (time out or timing out toys). Remember from General Psychology that in behaviorism “negative” means to remove and “positive” means to apply.

This response should be a minimum of 300 words and use proper APA Style documentation. Be sure to support your argument with ideas from research. All information must be cited in the body of the text (ideas as well as writing) even if not directly quoting.

ANSWER

The Negative Effects or Possible Dangers of Physically Punishing Children

Corporal punishment triggers physiological and physiological responses. Long considered necessary and effective and a means of socializing children, physically punishing children has been reviewed as a predictor of adverse developmental outcomes (Philbrick and Silver, 2020). There is a vast difference between physical punishment and discipline. Discipline is considered a guide to children’s moral, emotional, and physical growth, allowing them to take charge and be accountable when older. This enables the teaching of boundaries and actions that are acceptable to society and family. On the other hand, physical punishment entails causing pain and discomfort in response to a child’s behavior.

Many studies have indicated that physical punishment, including hitting, and spanking other ways that can because pain can lead to antisocial behaviors, high aggressiveness, mental health issues, and physical injury. Physical punishment has been linked to high aggression levels against peers, parents, siblings, and spouses in the future (Visser, van der Put, and Assink, 2022). Considerably, during a child’s cognitive development, they tend to emulate and notice the behavior around them. Beating gives a child the idea that beating others is right. Therefore, physical punishment breeds aggression which is how abusive parents breed bullies. Physical punishment also leads to emotional damage since children tend to develop a bad image of themselves.

Behavioral strategies that can be utilized for discipline include corrective, supportive, and preventative disciple (Gershoff and Lee, 2020). These are effective behavioral strategies that can be used instead of physical punishment. The preventative discipline focuses on establishing guidelines, expectations, and rules for behavior. Supportive discipline enables children to have self-control by helping them get back in line. Corrective discipline is done through warning and offering a corrective plan that needs to be followed. Physical punishment is a major risk factor for physical abuse. Parents should focus on eliminating physical punishment through behavioral strategies that can be used to discipline and create a positive child-parent relationship.

References

Gershoff, E. T., & Lee, S. J. (2020). Introduction: The rationale for reducing physical punishment.

Philbrick, S., & Silver, B. (2020). The Negative Internal and External Effects of Corporal Punishment on Children.

Visser, L. N., van der Put, C. E., & Assink, M. (2022). The Association between School Corporal Punishment and Child Developmental Outcomes: A Meta-Analytic Review. Children, 9(3), 383.