0
August 1997, Vol 151, No. 8 >
Article | August 1997

Spanking by Parents and Subsequent Antisocial Behavior of Children FREE

Murray A. Straus, PhD; David B. Sugarman, PhD; Jean Giles-Sims, PhD
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997;151(8):761-767. doi:10.1001/archpedi.1997.02170450011002.
Text Size: A A A
Published online
Article
References
Comments

Objective:  To deal with the causal relationship between corporal punishment and antisocial behavior (ASB) by considering the level of ASB of the child at the start of the study.

Methods:  Data from interviews with a national sample of 807 mothers of children aged 6 to 9 years in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Child Supplement. Analysis of variance was used to test the hypothesis that when parents use corporal punishment to correct ASB, it increases subsequent ASB. The analysis controlled for the level of ASB at the start of the study, family socioeconomic status, sex of the child, and the extent to which the home provided emotional support and cognitive stimulation.

Results:  Forty-four percent of the mothers reported spanking their children during the week prior to the study and they spanked them an average of 2.1 times that week. The more spanking at the start of the period, the higher the level of ASB 2 years later. The change is unlikely to be owing to the child's tendency toward ASB or to confounding with demographic characteristics or with parental deficiency in other key aspects of socialization because those variables were statistically controlled.

Conclusions:  When parents use corporal punishment to reduce ASB, the long-term effect tends to be the opposite. The findings suggest that if parents replace corporal punishment by nonviolent modes of discipline, it could reduce the risk of ASB among children and reduce the level of violence in American society.Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997;151:761-767

REFERENCES

1 +
Straus MA. Beating the Devil Out of Them: Corporal Punishment in American Families . San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass Publishers Inc/Lexington; 1994;.
2 +
Straus MA, Donnelly D.  Corporal punishment of adolescents by American parents . Youth Soc . 1993;;24:419-442.
3 +
Sears RR, Maccoby EC, Levin H. Patterns of Child Rearing . New York, NY: Harper & Row Publications Inc; 1957;.
4 +
Daro D, Gelles RJ.  Public attitudes and behaviors with respect to child abuse prevention . J Interpersonal Violence . 1992;;7:517-531.
5 +
Straus MA, Mathur AK.  Social change and change in approval of corporal punishment by parents from 1968 to 1992 . In: Frehsee D, Horn W, Bussman K, eds. Family Violence Against Children . Berlin, Germany: DeGruyer; 1996;:91-106.
6 +
Anderson K, Anderson D.  Psychologists and spanking . J Clin Child Psychol . 1976;; 5:46-49.
7 +
White K.  Where pediatricians stand on spanking . PediatrManage . 1993;; (September) : 11-15.
8 +
Larzelere R.  Moderate spanking: model or deterrent of children's aggression in the family? J Fam Violence . 1986;;1:27-36.
9 +
Eron LD, Huesman RL, Zelli A.  The role of parental variables in the learning of aggression . In: Pepler DJ, Rubin KM, eds. The Development and Treatment of Childhood Aggression . Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence A Erlbaum Associates; 1991;:169-188.
10 +
Becker W, Peterson D, Luria Z, Shoemaker D, Hellmer L.  Relations of factors derived from parent-interview ratings to behavior problems of five-year-olds . Child Dev . 1962;;33:509-535.
11 +
Bryan J, Freed F.  Corporal punishment: normative data and sociological and psychological correlates in a community college population . J Youth Adolesc . 1982;; 11:77-87.
12 +
Caesar PL.  Exposure to violence in the families-of-origin among wife-abusers and maritally nonviolent men . Violence Vict . 1988;;3:49-63.
13 +
Gelles R. The Violent Home: A Study of Physical Aggression Between Husbands and Wives . Beverly Hills, Calif: Sage Publications Inc; 1974;.
14 +
Coopersmith S. The Antecedents of Self-Esteem . San Francisco, Calif: WH Freeman & Co; 1967;.
15 +
DuRant RH, Getts A, Cadenhead C, Emans SJ.  Exposure to violence and victimization and depression, hopelessness, and purpose in life among adolescents living in and around public housing . J Dev Behav Pediatr . 1995;;16:233-237.
16 +
Simons RL, Johnson C, Conger RD.  Harsh corporal punishment versus quality of parental involvement as an explanation of adolescent maladjustment . J Marriage Fam . 1994;;56:591-607.
17 +
Yarrow M, Campbell JD, Burton RV. Child Rearing: An Inquiry Into Research and Methods . San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass Publishers Inc; 1968;.
18 +
Power TG, Chapieski ML.  Childrearing and impulse control in toddlers: a naturalistic investigation . Dev Psychol . 1986;;22:271-275.
19 +
Strassberg Z, Dodge KA, Petit GS, Bates JE.  Spanking in the home and children's subsequent aggression toward kindergarten peers . Dev Psychopathol . 1994;;6:445-461.
20 +
Herzberger SD.  The cyclical pattern of child abuse: a study of research methodology . Am Behav Sci . 1990;;33:529-545.
21 +
Pinto A, Folkers E, Sines JO.  Dimensions of behavior and home environment in school-age children: India and the United States . J Cross-Cultural Psychol . 1991;; 22:491-508.
22 +
Maccoby EM, Martin J.  Socialization in the context of the family: parent-child interaction . In: Hetherington EM, Mussen PH, eds. Handbook of Child Psychology, Vol 4: Socialization, Personality and Social Development . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Inc; 1983;:1-101.
23 +
Cullinan D, Epstein MH.  Behavior disorders . In: Haring NG, ed. Exceptional Children and Youth . 3rd ed. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co; 1982;:207-239.
24 +
Hyde JS.  How large are gender differences in aggression? a developmental analysis . Dev Psychol . 1984;;20:722-736.
25 +
Maccoby EM, Jacklin CN.  Sex differences in aggression: a rejoinder and reprise . Child Dev . 1980;;51:964-980.
26 +
Hoghughi M. Assessing Child and Adolescent Disorders: A Practice Manual . Beverly Hills, Calif: Sage Publications Inc; 1992;.
27 +
Garbarino J, Gilliam G. Understanding Abusive Families . Lexington, Mass: Lexington Books; 1980;.
28 +
Giles-Sims J, Straus MA, Sugarman DB.  Child, maternal and family characteristics associated with spanking . Fam Relations . 1995;;44:170-176.
29 +
Bank L, Forgatch MS, Patterson GS, Fetrow RA.  Parenting practices of single mothers: mediators of negative contextual factors . J Marriage Fam . 1993;;55: 371-384.
30 +
Feshback S.  Aggression . In: Mussen PH, ed. Carmichael's Manual of Child Psychology, Vol 2 . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Inc; 1970;:159-260.
31 +
Baker PC, Keck CK, Mott FL, Quinlan SV. NLSY Child Handbook . Columbus, Ohio: Center for Human Resource Research, The Ohio State University; 1993;.
32 +
Achenbach TM, Edelbrock CS.  Behavioral problems and competencies reported by parents of normal and disrupted children aged four through sixteen . Monogr Soc Res Child Dev . 1981;;46:188.
33 +
Graham PJ, Rutter ML.  The reliability and validity of the psychiatric assessment of the child, II: interview with the parent . Br J Psychiatry . 1968;;114:581-592.
34 +
Peterson JL, Zill N.  Marital disruption, parent-child relationships, and behavioral problems in children . J Marriage Fam . 1986;;48:295-307.
35 +
Caldwell B. Bradley R. Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment . Little Rock: University of Arkansas; 1984;.
36 +
Tabachnick BG, Fidell LS. Using Multivariate Statistics . 3rd ed. New York, NY: Harper & Row Publications Inc; 1996;;321-330.
37 +
Bruning JL, Kintz BL. Computational Handbook of Statistics . 3rd ed. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publications Inc; 1987;:226-228.
38 +
Alvy KT, Marigna M. Effective Black Parenting . Studio City, Calif: Center for the Improvement of Child Caring; 1987;.
39 +
Kohn ML. Class and Conformity: A Study in Values . Homewood, Ill: Dorsey Press; 1969;.
40 +
Peters MF. Nine Black Families: A Study of Household Management and Childrearing in Black Families with Working Mothers . Ann Arbor, Mich: University Microfilms; 1976;.
41 +
Young V.  Family and childhood in a southern negro community . Am Anthropol . 1970;;72:269-288.
42 +
Matteson ME, Pollack, ES, Cullen, JW.  What are the odds that smoking will kill you? Am J Public Health . 1987;;77:425-431.
43 +
Tonry M, Ohlin LE, Farrington DP. Human Development and Criminal Behavior: New Ways of Advancing Knowledge . New York, NY: Springer-Verlag NY Inc; 1991;.

Figures

Tables

Interactive Graphics

Video

Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

References

1 +
Straus MA. Beating the Devil Out of Them: Corporal Punishment in American Families . San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass Publishers Inc/Lexington; 1994;.
2 +
Straus MA, Donnelly D.  Corporal punishment of adolescents by American parents . Youth Soc . 1993;;24:419-442.
3 +
Sears RR, Maccoby EC, Levin H. Patterns of Child Rearing . New York, NY: Harper & Row Publications Inc; 1957;.
4 +
Daro D, Gelles RJ.  Public attitudes and behaviors with respect to child abuse prevention . J Interpersonal Violence . 1992;;7:517-531.
5 +
Straus MA, Mathur AK.  Social change and change in approval of corporal punishment by parents from 1968 to 1992 . In: Frehsee D, Horn W, Bussman K, eds. Family Violence Against Children . Berlin, Germany: DeGruyer; 1996;:91-106.
6 +
Anderson K, Anderson D.  Psychologists and spanking . J Clin Child Psychol . 1976;; 5:46-49.
7 +
White K.  Where pediatricians stand on spanking . PediatrManage . 1993;; (September) : 11-15.
8 +
Larzelere R.  Moderate spanking: model or deterrent of children's aggression in the family? J Fam Violence . 1986;;1:27-36.
9 +
Eron LD, Huesman RL, Zelli A.  The role of parental variables in the learning of aggression . In: Pepler DJ, Rubin KM, eds. The Development and Treatment of Childhood Aggression . Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence A Erlbaum Associates; 1991;:169-188.
10 +
Becker W, Peterson D, Luria Z, Shoemaker D, Hellmer L.  Relations of factors derived from parent-interview ratings to behavior problems of five-year-olds . Child Dev . 1962;;33:509-535.
11 +
Bryan J, Freed F.  Corporal punishment: normative data and sociological and psychological correlates in a community college population . J Youth Adolesc . 1982;; 11:77-87.
12 +
Caesar PL.  Exposure to violence in the families-of-origin among wife-abusers and maritally nonviolent men . Violence Vict . 1988;;3:49-63.
13 +
Gelles R. The Violent Home: A Study of Physical Aggression Between Husbands and Wives . Beverly Hills, Calif: Sage Publications Inc; 1974;.
14 +
Coopersmith S. The Antecedents of Self-Esteem . San Francisco, Calif: WH Freeman & Co; 1967;.
15 +
DuRant RH, Getts A, Cadenhead C, Emans SJ.  Exposure to violence and victimization and depression, hopelessness, and purpose in life among adolescents living in and around public housing . J Dev Behav Pediatr . 1995;;16:233-237.
16 +
Simons RL, Johnson C, Conger RD.  Harsh corporal punishment versus quality of parental involvement as an explanation of adolescent maladjustment . J Marriage Fam . 1994;;56:591-607.
17 +
Yarrow M, Campbell JD, Burton RV. Child Rearing: An Inquiry Into Research and Methods . San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass Publishers Inc; 1968;.
18 +
Power TG, Chapieski ML.  Childrearing and impulse control in toddlers: a naturalistic investigation . Dev Psychol . 1986;;22:271-275.
19 +
Strassberg Z, Dodge KA, Petit GS, Bates JE.  Spanking in the home and children's subsequent aggression toward kindergarten peers . Dev Psychopathol . 1994;;6:445-461.
20 +
Herzberger SD.  The cyclical pattern of child abuse: a study of research methodology . Am Behav Sci . 1990;;33:529-545.
21 +
Pinto A, Folkers E, Sines JO.  Dimensions of behavior and home environment in school-age children: India and the United States . J Cross-Cultural Psychol . 1991;; 22:491-508.
22 +
Maccoby EM, Martin J.  Socialization in the context of the family: parent-child interaction . In: Hetherington EM, Mussen PH, eds. Handbook of Child Psychology, Vol 4: Socialization, Personality and Social Development . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Inc; 1983;:1-101.
23 +
Cullinan D, Epstein MH.  Behavior disorders . In: Haring NG, ed. Exceptional Children and Youth . 3rd ed. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co; 1982;:207-239.
24 +
Hyde JS.  How large are gender differences in aggression? a developmental analysis . Dev Psychol . 1984;;20:722-736.
25 +
Maccoby EM, Jacklin CN.  Sex differences in aggression: a rejoinder and reprise . Child Dev . 1980;;51:964-980.
26 +
Hoghughi M. Assessing Child and Adolescent Disorders: A Practice Manual . Beverly Hills, Calif: Sage Publications Inc; 1992;.
27 +
Garbarino J, Gilliam G. Understanding Abusive Families . Lexington, Mass: Lexington Books; 1980;.
28 +
Giles-Sims J, Straus MA, Sugarman DB.  Child, maternal and family characteristics associated with spanking . Fam Relations . 1995;;44:170-176.
29 +
Bank L, Forgatch MS, Patterson GS, Fetrow RA.  Parenting practices of single mothers: mediators of negative contextual factors . J Marriage Fam . 1993;;55: 371-384.
30 +
Feshback S.  Aggression . In: Mussen PH, ed. Carmichael's Manual of Child Psychology, Vol 2 . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Inc; 1970;:159-260.
31 +
Baker PC, Keck CK, Mott FL, Quinlan SV. NLSY Child Handbook . Columbus, Ohio: Center for Human Resource Research, The Ohio State University; 1993;.
32 +
Achenbach TM, Edelbrock CS.  Behavioral problems and competencies reported by parents of normal and disrupted children aged four through sixteen . Monogr Soc Res Child Dev . 1981;;46:188.
33 +
Graham PJ, Rutter ML.  The reliability and validity of the psychiatric assessment of the child, II: interview with the parent . Br J Psychiatry . 1968;;114:581-592.
34 +
Peterson JL, Zill N.  Marital disruption, parent-child relationships, and behavioral problems in children . J Marriage Fam . 1986;;48:295-307.
35 +
Caldwell B. Bradley R. Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment . Little Rock: University of Arkansas; 1984;.
36 +
Tabachnick BG, Fidell LS. Using Multivariate Statistics . 3rd ed. New York, NY: Harper & Row Publications Inc; 1996;;321-330.
37 +
Bruning JL, Kintz BL. Computational Handbook of Statistics . 3rd ed. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publications Inc; 1987;:226-228.
38 +
Alvy KT, Marigna M. Effective Black Parenting . Studio City, Calif: Center for the Improvement of Child Caring; 1987;.
39 +
Kohn ML. Class and Conformity: A Study in Values . Homewood, Ill: Dorsey Press; 1969;.
40 +
Peters MF. Nine Black Families: A Study of Household Management and Childrearing in Black Families with Working Mothers . Ann Arbor, Mich: University Microfilms; 1976;.
41 +
Young V.  Family and childhood in a southern negro community . Am Anthropol . 1970;;72:269-288.
42 +
Matteson ME, Pollack, ES, Cullen, JW.  What are the odds that smoking will kill you? Am J Public Health . 1987;;77:425-431.
43 +
Tonry M, Ohlin LE, Farrington DP. Human Development and Criminal Behavior: New Ways of Advancing Knowledge . New York, NY: Springer-Verlag NY Inc; 1991;.

Correspondence

Submit a Letter
CME
Accreditation Information
The American Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The AMA designates this journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM per course. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Physicians who complete the CME course and score at least 80% correct on the quiz are eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM.
Note: You must get at least of the answers correct to pass this quiz.
Clear Answers | Save For Later
You have not filled in all the answers to complete this quiz
The following questions were not answered:
Sorry, you have unsuccessfully completed this CME quiz with a score of
The following questions were not answered correctly:
Commitment to Change (optional):
Indicate what change(s) you will implement in your practice, if any, based on this CME course.
Your quiz results:
The filled radio buttons indicate your responses. The preferred responses are highlighted
For CME Course: A Proposed Model for Initial Assessment and Management of Acute Heart Failure Syndromes
Indicate what changes(s) you will implement in your practice, if any, based on this CME course.
NOTE:
Citing articles are presented as examples only. In non-demo SCM6 implementation, integration with CrossRef’s “Cited By” API will populate this tab (http://www.crossref.org/citedby.html).
Compression-Only CPR: Pushing the Science Forward
Cone
AAM 2010;304:1493-1495.
All you need to read in the other general journals
BMJ 2010;341:c5893-c1494.
Submit a Comment

Some tools below are only available to our subscribers or users with an online account.

Related Content

Customize your page view by dragging & repositioning the boxes below.

© 2013 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
Powered bySilverchair Information Systems