Spanking and Other Physical Punishment Linked to Mental Illness

According to a new study, American adults who were spanked as kids run a higher risk of suffering from mental health problems ranging from depression, anxiety disorders, and chemical dependency. Read the complete study here.  Add this to the ever-growing mountain of evidence that corporal punishment is (at best) ineffective and (at worst) profoundly damaging to our children.

“We’re not talking about just a tap on the bum,” said study author Tracie Afifi, an assistant professor in the department of community health sciences at the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg. “We were looking at people who used physical punishment as a regular means to discipline their children.”

Among the types of physical punishments considered were harsh spanking, slapping, grabbing, and shoving. What sets this study apart from previous research is that this study examined corporal punishment’s effects on mental health in the absence of more severe physical abuse, sexual abuse or other forms of neglect and mistreatment.

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Some Mental Health Problems Linked to Spanking:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mania
• Drug or alcohol dependency
• Paranoia
• Antisocial behavior
• Emotional dependency
• Narcissism
• Panic disorders
• Post-traumatic stress
• Agoraphobia

“What’s really important is to know that spanking and other forms of physical punishment come at a cost,” said Afifi. “Physical punishment should not be used on children at any age under any circumstances.”

Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. said that while this study has its limitations (it’s based on adult recollection), the public needs more education about the dangers of physical punishment to children and the alternatives that parents can effectively use.

“There’s a general presumption that parenting comes naturally, but there are things people need to learn. We have PSAs [public service announcements] about all kinds of health issues, but I’ve yet to hear any tips for providing non-physical punishment to children.”

We Do Better When We Know Better: Parenting Courses

If you’ve spanked your child in the past, don’t work yourself up with guilt and worry. Instead, make a commitment today to choose non-physical methods of discipline for your children instead. If you need additional support, consider taking a live parenting course with a certified instructor or enrolling in an online parenting class.