Does Spanking Make Kids Dumber?

[Starflower]

I thought this may be of interest here. It's a link to an NPR blog about a study being done linking corporal punishment and lower IQ scores.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2009...ml?sc=fb&cc=fp

[AmyKT]

I saw that, and I like the message, but I would at first glance suspect it's more correlation than causation. Parents who do a lot of spanking are usually less educated and often less intelligent than parents who do not, so their biological children would naturally have lower IQ scores, as well. The author of the study points to this possibility, though he does say that he corrected for SES differences in the US data, so there may be something there.

Furthermore, it seems reasonable that an average child will flourish in a gentle, consensual environment over an abusive one.

[To-Fu]

Originally Posted by AmyKT

I saw that, and I like the message, but I suspect it's more correlation than causation. Parents who do a lot of spanking are usually less educated and often less intelligent than parents who do not. The author of the study points to this possibility, as well.

However, I'll agree that an average child will flourish in a gentle, consensual environment over an abusive one.

I wondered this as well, although I'm always glad for any findings I can share about why hitting your kids is a bad idea.

[AmyKT]

I edited my comment a bit after I went back and saw that the study author did correct for SES differences among US parents, making his claim more valid.

And yes, any evidence against spanking is a good thing.

[GISDiva]

Some of the comments are rather appalling...

[ShwarmaQueen]

I could see how it does. It certainly can't improve a kids self esteem or intelligence for that matter.

[umsami]

I saw this on Medscape.

The thing is... the evidence keeps building that spanking is detrimental, BUT parents aren't being given the tools on how to discipline without spanking. Too many do what their parents did because that's what they know... or is easier... or one of them believes "Well, I turned out O.K...."

THere really needs to be a push for a gentle parenting class taught to all high school students in this country.

[annekevdbroek]

Even with correcting for SES it is still a correlational finding, not causation. It mearly means that the effect of SES is statistically removed from the calculations (so SES is theoretically not the cause of the finding.).

For causation you'd have to have an experiment with two groups (at least): a spanking and nonspaking group, controlling for other variables, with measurements before and after the application of the variables (spankings).

[somanythings]

Originally Posted by umsami

I saw this on Medscape.

The thing is... the evidence keeps building that spanking is detrimental, BUT parents aren't being given the tools on how to discipline without spanking. Too many do what their parents did because that's what they know... or is easier... or one of them believes "Well, I turned out O.K...."

THere really needs to be a push for a gentle parenting class taught to all high school students in this country.

I agree , and will add my thought that the prevailing "mainstream" thought is either "I spank, or I do nothing". Or...insert other punitive methods. The concept of parenting in a style that is neither punitive nor permissive and turns out happy productive members of society is fairly foreign in our society, unfortunately. Hence the need for umsami's gentle parenting classes!

[LittleBlessings]

interesting

[PDeverit]

Child buttock-battering vs. DISCIPLINE:

Child buttock-battering for the purpose of gaining compliance is nothing more than an inherited bad habit.

Its a good idea for people to take a look at what they are doing, and learn how to DISCIPLINE instead of hit.

I think the reason why television shows like "Supernanny" and "Dr. Phil" are so popular is because that is precisely what many (not all) people are trying to do.

There are several reasons why child bottom-slapping isn't a good idea. Here are some good, quick reads recommended by professionals:

Plain Talk About Spanking
by Jordan Riak,

The Sexual Dangers of Spanking Children
by Tom Johnson,

NO VITAL ORGANS THERE So They Say
by Lesli Taylor M.D. and Adah Maurer Ph.D.

Most compelling of all reasons to abandon this worst of all bad habits is the fact that buttock-battering can be unintentional sexual abuse for some children. There is an abundance of educational resources, testimony, documentation, etc available on the subject that can easily be found by doing a little research with the recommended reads.

Just a handful of those helping to raise awareness of why child bottom-slapping isn't a good idea:

American Academy of Pediatrics,
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
Center For Effective Discipline,
PsycHealth Ltd Behavioral Health Professionals,
Churches' Network For Non-Violence,
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Desmond Tutu,
Parenting In Jesus' Footsteps,
Global Initiative To End All Corporal Punishment of Children,
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In 26 countries, child buttock-battering is prohibited by law (with more in process) In fact, the US was the only UN member that did not ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

[rzberrymom]

Originally Posted by AmyKT

I saw that, and I like the message, but I would at first glance suspect it's more correlation than causation.

Yep!