APA adopted a new policy about the ineffectiveness and dangers of physical discipline against children to raise awareness among parents, caregivers and mental health professionals.
The Resolution on Physical Discipline of Children By Parents, adopted by APA’s Council of Representatives in February, relies on strong and sophisticated longitudinal research that finds physical discipline does not improve behavior and can lead to emotional, behavioral and academic problems over time, even after race, gender and family socioeconomic status have been statistically controlled.
To start, the research finds that hitting children does not teach them about responsibility, conscience development and self-control. "Hitting children does not teach them right from wrong," says Elizabeth Gershoff, PhD, an expert on the effects of corporal punishment on children who provided research for the resolution. "Spanking gets their attention, but they have not internalized why they should do the right thing in the future. They may behave when the adult is there but do whatever they want at other times."
In addition, children learn from watching their parents. Parents who use physical discipline may be teaching their child to resolve conflicts with physical aggression. Researchers found that spanking can elevate a child’s aggression levels as well as diminish the quality of the parent-child relationship. Other studies have documented that physical discipline can escalate into abuse.
The purpose of this resolution is to promote effective forms of discipline for parents that don’t contribute to antisocial behaviors, aggression and trust issues. "Children do not need pain to learn," says Gershoff, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, "We don’t allow aggression among adults. It’s a sad double standard that we don’t give children the same protection against violence."
Better discipline models
Upward of 80 percent of mothers spank their children between kindergarten and third grade, according to a large study conducted by Gershoff (Child Development, May/June 2012).
Most parents raise children the way they were raised and have not been exposed to other models of discipline, says APA President Rosie Phillips Davis, PhD. "I don’t think most people know how to discipline without spanking. We don’t teach people to do it differently; alternatives seem time-consuming," she says.
The APA resolution presents effective alternatives that draw broadly on respectful communication, collaborative conflict resolution and parental modeling. Specifically, these approaches could include conveying anxiety about a dangerous action, taking away privileges or using praise to shape behavior.
Sometimes, simply ignoring the behavior and not engaging in a fight is the best tactic, says Christina Rodriguez, PhD, an associate professor at The University of Alabama at Birmingham and chair of the APA Committee on Children, Youth and Families, who led the resolution effort. "Parents need to learn what they should or shouldn’t respond to."
Parents of 3- to 5- year-olds are the most likely to spank. So, what about a preschooler who can’t be reasoned with? Rodriguez advises parents to think strategically and plan ahead. If your child is prone to act out while you get groceries, bring snacks and toys to redirect the child or choose a time to shop when the child isn’t sleepy, she suggests.
Calling a time-out for certain behaviors can be effective but it is often misused as a stand-alone strategy, Gershoff observes. "Looking at a wall for five minutes won’t teach a child how to behave."
Rather, parents need to give children guidance about what to do differently, what is known as "time out from positive reinforcement (TOPR)." This technique makes time-out an opportunity to regroup and think about how to do better next time.
A new study in American Psychologist offers guidelines in using TOPR to maximize the development of the child’s self-regulation skills while avoiding any weakening of the parent-child attachment bond from the time out (American Psychologist, Feb. 25, 2019).
Give parents the facts
The APA resolution is clear that any perceived short-term benefits from physical discipline do not outweigh the potential detriments. By adopting the resolution, APA joins a number of professional and public health organizations in recommending that parents reject all physical discipline. The resolution also directs APA to support funding for research in the United States and other countries related to why parents turn to physical discipline.
Davis wants to see more training programs on parental discipline for psychologists. Currently, more than 75 APA members are collaborating to create a toolkit to facilitate conversations in the community about disciplining children. Multiple modules are being developed for parents, colleges, civic organizations and places of worship that will include frequently asked questions. APA also offers the ACT Raising Safe Kids Program to teach positive parenting skills.
Rodriguez hopes the resolution will prompt psychologists to guide parents toward healthier discipline practices than were used in the past. Now that we know the risks of not wearing seatbelts, most parents make sure children buckle up, she comments. "Why is it not the same for rejecting physical discipline when the risks are known?"
Some psychologists feel that it’s not their place to tell parents how to discipline their children, Rodriguez says. "But it is long past opinion that physical discipline makes things worse," she says. "It is incumbent on psychologists to take the opportunity to discuss the facts and share what we know. If mental health professionals don’t take this on, then who?"
To read the full APA resolution on child punishment, go to www.apa.org/about/policy/physical-discipline.pdf.