Spanking children leads to slow cognitive development and increased criminal and anti-social behavior, a research done for over four decades by a professor of University of New Hampshire states.
Murray Straus, founder and co-director of the Family Research Lab and professor emeritus of sociology at the University of New Hampshire, writes in his latest book that although spanking is known to correct misbehavior it also causes some serious harm to children.
The research published in the book 'The Primordial Violence" (Routledge, 2013)' analyzed longitudinal data collected from over 7,000 U.S. families as well as results from a 32-nation study.
"Research shows that spanking corrects misbehavior. But it also shows that spanking does not work better than other modes of correction, such as time out, explaining, and depriving a child of privileges. Moreover, the research clearly shows that the gains from spanking come at a big cost. These include weakening the tie between children and parents and increasing the probability that the child will hit other children and their parents, and as adults, hit a dating or marital partner. Spanking also slows down mental development and lowers the probability of a child doing well in school," Straus wrote in a press release.
The research team stressed the need in policy changes to stop beating children. It included "never spank" public service announcements, a health warning on birth certificates, and help for parent-child relationship.
Following are the highlights in the book about spanking children:
■ If spanking is avoided, children could develop better interpersonal skills and higher academic achievement
■ The link between spanking and behavioral problems and crime.
■ Reason behind why most parents continue to spank.
Strauss suggested that parents should promise themselves not to beat their children again if they want their kids to live a happy and healthful life including a good job and a violence-free marriage. "It is likely to increase their respect and love for you, and they will also help you stick to it," he said.
"Never spanking will not only reduce the risk of delinquency and mental health problems, it also will bring to children the right to be free of physical attacks in the name of discipline, just as wives gained that human right a century and a quarter ago," Straus concluded.
