Skip to main content

What Is the Link Between Corporal Punishment and Child Physical Abuse?

Journal of Family Violence volume 30, pages 135–148 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

This study aimed to contribute to the literature on corporal punishment by examining the link between spanking and child physical abuse. First, we examined the extent to which individuals who experienced spanking in childhood were at greater risk of also experiencing physical abuse by their parents. Second, we examined various parenting and family factors that could distinguish between spanking that occurred within and without a physically abusive context. A sample of 370 university students completed a questionnaire on disciplinary experiences at age 10. Results suggested that individuals who indicated having experienced spanking during childhood were at greater risk of also having experienced physical abuse. Among individuals who indicated having experienced spanking, greater spanking frequency, perceptions of impulsiveness in parental discipline, and reports of physical violence between parents significantly increased the risk of physical abuse. This research contributes to the growing evidence on the risks associated with child corporal punishment.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Afifi, T. O., Mota, N. P., Dasiewicz, P., MacMillan, H. L., & Sareen, J. (2012). Physical punishment and mental disorders: results form a nationally representative US sample. Pediatrics, 130, 1–9. doi:10.1542/peds. 2011-2947.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on the Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (1998). Guidance for effective discipline. Pediatrics, 101(4), 723–728.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychological Association. (2012). Corporal Punishment. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/about/governance/council/policy/corporal-punishment.aspx

  • Ateah, C. A., & Durrant, J. E. (2005). Maternal use of physical punishment in response to child misbehavior: implications for child abuse prevention. Child Abuse & Neglect, 29, 169–185. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.10.010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumrind, D., Larzelere, R. E., & Cowan, P. A. (2002). Ordinary physical punishment: is it harmful? Comment on Gershoff (2002). Psychological Bulletin, 128, 580–589. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.128.4.580.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belsky. (1993). Etiology of child maltreatment: a developmental-ecological analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 114(3), 413–434.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Benjet, C., & Kazdin, A. E. (2003). Spanking children: the controversies, findings, and new directions. Clinical Psychology Review, 23, 197–224.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berlin, L. J., Ispa, J. M., Fine, M. A., Malone, P. S., Brooks-Gunn, J., Brady-Smith, C., & Bai, Y. (2009). Correlates and consequences of spanking and verbal punishment for low-income white, African American, and Mexican American toddlers. Child Development, 80, 1403–1420. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01341.x

  • Bordin, I. A., Duarte, C. S., Peres, C. A., Nascimento, R., Curto, B. M., & Paula, C. S. (2009). Severe physical punishment: risk of mental health problems for poor urban children in Brazil. Bulletin of World Health Organization, 87, 336–344. doi:10.2471/BLT.07.043125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Button, D. M. (2008). Social disadvantage and family violence: neighborhood effects on attitudes about intimate partner violence and corporal punishment. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 33, 130–147. doi:10.1007/s12103-008-9033-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canadian Paediatric Society. (2004). Effective discipline for children. Paediatrics & Child Health, 9(1), 37–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canadian Psychological Association. (2004). Policy Statement on Physical Punishment of Children and Youth. Retrieved from http://www.cpa.ca/documents/policy3.pdf

  • Clément, M. E., Bernèche, F., Fontaine, C., & Chamberland, C. (2013). La violence familiale dans la vie des enfants du Québec, 2012: Les attitudes parentales et les pratiques familiales. Québec: Institut de la statistique du Québec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darling, N., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: an integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 487–496. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.113.3.487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Day, R. D., Peterson, G. W., & McCracken, C. (1998). Predicting spanking of younger and older children by mothers and fathers. Journal of Marriage and Family, 60, 79–94. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/353443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Justice Canada. (2012). Child abuse is wrong: What can I do? Retrieved from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/fv-vf/pub/caw-mei/pdf/caw_2012.pdf.

  • De Zoysa, P., Newcombe, P. A., & Rajapakse, L. (2008). Consequences of parental corporal punishment on 12-year old children in Colombo district. Ceylon Medical Journal, 53(1), 7–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dufour, S., Clément, M.-È., Chamberland, C., & Dubeau, D. (2011). Child abuse in a disciplinary context: a typology of violent family context. Journal of Family Violence, 26, 595–606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durrant, J. E. (2003). Legal reform and attitudes toward physical punishment in Sweden. The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 11, 147–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durrant, J. E. (2005). Distinguishing physical punishment from physical abuse: implications for professionals. The Manitoba Journal of Child Welfare, 4, 86–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durrant, J. E. (2007). Positive discipline: What it is and how to do it. Bangkok: Save the Children Sweden, Southeast Asia and Pacific Region.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durrant, J. E., & Ensom, R. (2012). Physical punishment of children: lessons from 20 years of research. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 184, 1373–1377. doi:10.1503/cmaj.101314.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Durrant, J. E., Trocmé, N., Fallon, B., Milne, C., & Black, T. (2009). Protection of children from physical maltreatment in Canada: an evaluation of the Supreme Court’s definition of reasonable force. Child and Adolescent Maltreatment, 18, 64–87. doi:10.1080/10926770802610640.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eamon, M. K. (2001). Antecedents and socioemotional consequences of physical punishment on children in two-parent families. Child Abuse & Neglect, 25, 787–802.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. Z., Simons, L. G., & Simons, R. L. (2012). The effect of corporal punishment and verbal abuse on delinquency: mediating mechanisms. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41, 1095–1110. doi:10.1007/s10964-012-9755-x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fauchier, A. (2007). Task demands influence earliest age of “accurate” retrospective reports. Retrieved from http://pubpages.unh.edu/~mas2/DD05%20Task%20Demands%20Influence%20Earliest%20Age%20of%20Accurate%20Retrospective%20Reports.pdf.

  • Fréchette, S., & Romano, E. (2013). Change In the Use of Corporal Punishment and Other Disciplinary Strategies Over a 14-Year Period in a Representative Sample of Canadian Parents. In E. Romano (Chair), Corporal Punishment: An International Perspective on Prevalence, Impact, and Intervention. Symposium presented at the Society for Research in Child Development 2013 Biennial Meeting, Seattle, Washington.

  • Gagné, M.-H., Tourigny, M., Joly, J., & Pouliot-Lapointe, J. (2007). Predictors of adult attitudes toward coporal punishment of children. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 22, 1285–1304. doi:10.1177/0886260507304550.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gamez-Guadix, M., Straus, M. A., Carrobles, J. A., Munoz-Rivas, M. J., & Almendros, C. (2010). Corporal punishment and long-term behaviour problems: the moderating role of positive parenting and psychological aggression. Psichothema, 22(4), 529–536.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gershoff, E. T. (2002a). Corporal punishment by parents and associated child behaviors and experiences: a meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 128, 539–579. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.128.4.539.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gershoff, E. T. (2002b). Corporal punishment, physical abuse, and the burden of proof: reply to Baumrind, Larzelere, and Cowen (2002), Holden (2002), and Parke (2002). Psychological Bulletin, 128, 602–611. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.128.4.602.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gershoff, E. T. (2008). Report on physical punishment in the United States: What research tells us about its effects on Children. Columbus: Center for Effective Discipline. Retrieved from http://www.phoenixchildrens.com/sites/default/files/PDFs/principles_and_practices-of_effective_discipline.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gershoff, E. T. (2010). More harm than good: a summary of scientific research on the intended and unintended effects of corporal punishment on children. Law and Contemporary Problems, 73(31), 31–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gershoff, E. T., Grogan-Kaylor, A., Lansford, J. E., Chang, L., Zelli, A., & Deater-Deckard, K. (2010). Parent discipline practices in an international sample: associations with child behaviors and moderation by perceived normativeness. Child Development, 81(2), 487–502.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gershoff, E. T., Lansford, J. E., Sexton, H. R., Davis-Kean, P., & Sameroff, A. J. (2012). Longitudinal links between spanking and children’s externalizing behaviors in a national sample of White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian American families. Child Development, 83, 838–843. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01732.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giles-Sims, J., Straus, M. A., & Sugarman, D. B. (1995). Child, maternal, and family characteristics associated with spanking. Family Relations, 44, 170–176. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/584804.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez, M., Durrant, J. E., Chabot, M., Trocmé, N., & Brown, J. (2008). What predicts injury from physical punishment? A test of the typologies of violence hypothesis. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32, 752–765. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.12.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grogan-Kaylor, A., & Otis, M. D. (2007). The predictors of parental use of corporal punishment. Family Relations, 56, 80–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hicks-Pass, S. (2009). Corporal punishment in America today: spare the rod, spoil the child? A systematic review of the literature. Best Practices in Mental Health, 5(2), 71–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, S. J., Pelcovitz, D., & Labruna, V. (1999). Child and adolescent abuse and neglect research: a review of the past 10 years. Part I: Physical and emotional abuse and neglect. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 38, 1214–1222. doi:10.1097/00004583-199910000-00009.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lansford, J. E., Chang, L., Dodge, K. A., Malone, P. S., Oburu, P., Palmérus, K., Bacchini, D., et al. (2005). Physical discipline and children’s adjustment: cultural normativeness as a moderator. Child Development, 76, 1234–1246. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2005.00847.x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lansford, J. E., Pena Alampay, L., Al-Hassan, S., Bacchini, D., Bombi, A. S., Bornstein, M. H., Chang, L., et al. (2010). Corporal punishment of children in nine countries as a function of child gender and parent gender. International Journal of Pediatrics, 2010, 1–12. doi:10.1155/2010/672780.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lansford, J. E., Wager, L. B., Bates, J. E., Pettit, G. S., & Dodge, K. A. (2012). Forms of spanking and children’s externalizing behaviors. Family Relations, 61, 224–236. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2011.00700.x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Larzelere, R. E. (1996). A review of the outcomes of parental use of nonabusive or customary physical punishment. Pediatrics, 98(4), 824–828.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Larzelere, R. E. (2000). Child outcomes of nonabusive and customary physical punishment by parents: an updated literature review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 3, 199–221.

  • Larzelere, R. E., & Kuhn, B. R. (2005). Comparing child outcomes of physical punishment and alternative disciplinary tactics: a meta-analysis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 8, 1–37. doi:10.1007/s10567-005-2340-z.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, J., Han, Y., Grogan-Kaylor, A., Delva, J., & Castillo, M. (2012). Corporal punishment and youth externalizing behaviour in Santiago, Chile. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36, 481–490. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2012.03.006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie, M. J., Nicklas, E., Waldfogel, J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2012). Corporal punishment and child behavioural and cognitive outcomes through 5 years of age: evidence from a contemporary urban birth cohort study. Infant and Child Development, 21, 3–33. doi:10.1002/icd.758.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manly, J. T., Cicchetti, D., & Barnett, D. (1994). The impact of subtype, frequency, chronicity, and severity of child maltreatment on social competence and behavior problems. Developmental Psychology, 6, 121–143. doi:10.1017/S0954579400005915.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLoyd, V. C., & Smith, J. (2002). Physical discipline and behavior problems in African American, European American, and Hispanic children: emotional support as a moderator. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 40–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulvaney, M. K., & Mebert, C. J. (2007). Parental corporal punishment predicts behavior problems in early childhood. Journal of Family Psychology, 21, 389–397. doi:10.1037/0893-3200.21.3.389.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oldershaw, L. (2002). A national survey of parents of young children. Retrieved from http://www.beststart.org/invest_in_kids/pdf/FINAL_%20Parent_%20Poll_%20Oct_%2029_02.pdf.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson, S. L., Lopez-Duran, N., Lunkenheimer, E. S., Chang, H., & Sameroff, A. J. (2011). Individual differences in the development of early peer aggression: integrating contributions of self-regulation, theory of mind, and parenting. Development and Psychopathology, 23, 253–266. doi:10.1017/S0954579410000775.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Petrenko, C. L. M., Friend, A., Garridoa, E. F., Taussiga, H. N., & Culhanea, S. E. (2012). Does subtype matter? Assessing the effects of maltreatment on functioning in preadolescent youth in out-of-home care. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36, 633–644. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2012.07.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinderhughes, E. E., Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., Pettit, G. S., & Zelli, A. (2000). Discipline responses: influences of parents’ socioeconomic status, ethnicity, beliefs about parenting, stress, and cognitive-emotional processes. Journal of Family Psychology, 14, 380–400. doi:10.1037//0893-3200.14.3.380.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Press, C., & Marketing, L. (2002). Child abuse report. Montreal: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Regalado, M., Sareen, H., Inkelas, M., Wissow, L. S., & Halfon, N. (2004). Parents’ discipline of young children: results from the national survey of early childhood health. Pediatrics, 113(6), 1952–1958.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ripoll-Nunez, K. J., & Rohner, R. P. (2006). Corporal punishment in cross-cultural perspective: directions for a research agenda. Cross-Cultural Research, 40, 220–249. doi:10.1177/1069397105284395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Runyan, D. K., Shankar, V., Hassan, F., Hunter, W. M., Jain, D., Paula, C. S., & Bordin, I. A. (2010). International variations in harsh child discipline. Pediatrics, 126, e701–e711. doi:10.1542/peds. 2008-2374.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Russa, M. B., & Rodriguez, C. M. (2010). Physical discipline, escalation, and child abuse potential: psychometric evidence for the analog parenting task. Aggressive Behavior, 36, 251–260. doi:10.1002/ab.20345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shlonsky, A., & Friend, C. (2007). Double jeopardy: risk assessment in the context of child maltreatment and domestic violence. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 7, 253–274. doi:10.1093/brief-treatment/mhm016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slade, E. P., & Wissow, L. S. (2004). Spanking in early childhood and later behaviour problems: a prospective study of infants and young toddlers. Pediatrics, 113, 1321–1330.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Slep, A. M., & O’Leary, S. G. (2005). Parent and partner violence in families with young children: rates, patterns, and connections. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 435–444. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.73.3.435.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Socolar, R. R., Savage, E., & Evans, H. (2007). A longitudinal study of parental discipline of young children. Southern Medical Journal, 100(5), 472–477. doi:10.1097/SMJ.0b013e318038fb1c.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stacks, A. M., Oshio, T., Gerard, J., & Roe, J. (2009). The moderating effect of parental warmth on the association between spanking and child aggression: a longitudinal approach. Infant and Child Development, 18, 178–194. doi:10.1002/icd.596.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A. (2010). Prevalence, societal causes, and trends in corporal punishment by parents in world perspective. Law and Contemporary Problems, 73, 1–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Donnelly, D. A. (2001). Beating the Devil Out of Them. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Douglas, E. M. (2004). A short form of the revised conflict tactics scales, and typologies for severity and mutuality. Violence and Victims, 19(5), 507–520.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Fauchier, A. (2007). Manual for the Dimensions of Discipline Inventory (DDI). Durham: Family Research Laboratory, University of New Hampshire. Retrieved from http://pubpages.unh.edu/~mas2/.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Gelles, R. J. (Eds.). (1990). Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations to violence in 8,145 families. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Mouradian, V. E. (1998). Impulsive corporal punishment by mothers and antisocial behavior and impulsiveness of children. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 16, 353–374.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Stewart, J. H. (1999). Corporal punishment by American parents: national data on prevalence, chronicity, severity, and duration, in relation to child and family characteristics. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 2(2), 55–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., Hamby, S. L., Finkelhor, D., Moore, D. W., & Runyan, D. (1998). Identification of child maltreatment with the parent–child conflict tactics scales: development and psychometric data for a national sample of American parents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 22(4), 249–270.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stormshak, E. A., Bierman, K. L., McMahon, R. J., & Lengua, L. J. (2000). Parenting practices and child disruptive behavior problems in early elementary school. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 29(1), 17–29.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, C. A., Lee, S. J., Guterman, N. B., & Rice, J. C. (2010). Use of spanking for 3-year-old children and associated intimate partner aggression or violence. Pediatrics, 126, 415–424. doi:10.1542/peds. 2010-0314.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, R. A., Christiansen, E. H., Jackson, S., Wyatt, J. M., Colman, R. A., Peterson, R. L., & Buckendahl, C. W. (1999). Parent attitudes and discipline practices: profiles and correlates in a nationally representative sample. Child Maltreatment, 4(4), 316–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trocmé, N., Fallon, B., MacLaurin, B., Hélie, S., & Turcotte, D. (2010). Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect – 2008: Major Findings. Public Health Agency of Canada.

  • Vasta, R. (1982). Physical child abuse: a dual-component analysis. Developmental Review, 2, 125–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verhoeven, M., Junger, M., Van Aken, C., Dekovic, M., & Van Aken, M. A. G. (2010). Mothering, fathering, and externalizing behaviour in toddler boys. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 307–317. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00701.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vissing, Y. M., Straus, M. A., Gelles, R. J., & Harrop, J. W. (1991). Verbal aggression by parents and psychosocial problems of children. Child Abuse & Neglect, 15, 223–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vittrup, B., Holden, G. W., & Buck, J. (2006). Attitudes predict the use of physical punishment: a prospective study of the emergence of disciplinary practices. Pediatrics, 117, 2055–2064.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wissow, L. S. (2001). Ethnicity, income, and parenting contexts of physical punishment in a national sample of families with young children. Child Maltreatment, 6, 118–129. doi:10.1177/1077559501006002004.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe, D. A. (1985). Child-abusive parents: an empirical review and analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 97(3), 462–482.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zolotor, A. J., Theodore, A. D., Chang, J. J., Berkoff, M. C., & Runyan, D. K. (2008). Speak softly - and forget the stick. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35, 364–369. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2008.06.031.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zolotor, A. J., Theodore, A. D., Cyone-Beasley, T., & Runyan, D. K. (2007). Intimate partner violence and child maltreatment: overlapping risk. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 7, 305–321. doi:10.1093/brief-treatment/mhm0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Vanier Hall, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Sabrina Fréchette & Elisa Romano

  2. Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Michael Zoratti

Authors
  1. Sabrina Fréchette
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael Zoratti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Elisa Romano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sabrina Fréchette.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Fréchette, S., Zoratti, M. & Romano, E. What Is the Link Between Corporal Punishment and Child Physical Abuse?. J Fam Viol 30, 135–148 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-014-9663-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-014-9663-9

Keywords

  • Discipline
  • Parenting
  • Spanking
  • Family violence
  • Maltreatment