Effects of Punishment in Children - Essay Example

Effects of Punishment in Children Several studies have focused on the effects of punishment in children as they develop into adults. Most significantof these studies are those that focus on the impact on the psychological makeup of an adult who experienced corporal punishment as a child. Almost all of the studies conducted in this regard point to negative effects on the individual, usually manifested in depression, aggression, suicidal tendencies and substance abuse, as these people reach adulthood. Not all of the studies, however, totally dismiss punishment as detrimental to the healthy psychological development of an individual. Some believe that punishment, if non-abusive, will result in the healthy development of an individual. Nevertheless, even the researchers who do not entirely leave out corporal punishment as a means of disciplining children do not encourage the use of abusive forms of corporal punishment. In the past, it was the acceptable practice to punish children physically, and parents were even told to "not spare the rod," when it comes to instilling discipline in children. It was only in the recent years that the effects of punishment in children have been discussed and studied by researchers in the field of behavioral science. This is probably due the increase in cases of depression, adult misbehavior and other psychological deviances among adult individuals. Psychologists found that most cases has something to do with a violent past, including severe punishments received by the individual during childhood. This led some to question the effectiveness of punishment, particularly, corporal punishment. Thereafter, studies have been conducted to know if there is a correlation between incidents of corporal punishment and problematic psychological situations such as depression, aggressiveness, alcohol abuse, and interpersonal problems. In a study by Straus (2000), it was found that corporal punishment of children is positively correlated with adult depression and suicidal tendencies (p. 72). Straus is known to be a strong opponent of corporal punishment of any types. He defined corporal punishment as "the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not injury, for the purpose of correction or control of the child's behavior" (as cited in Turner and Muller, 2004, p.762). In a study that involved a large sampling of individuals across the United States, it was found that the psychological damage is not solely related to abusive physical punishment, but also to ordinary and legal corporal punishment (Straus, 2000, p. 72). In studies such as this one, there are other factors that could have contributed to the detrimental effects seen in adulthood. Such factors may include marital violence, or heavy drinking problem. However, Straus determined that the net result indicate that the more corporal punishment received, the greater are the chances for increased aggressiveness, delinquency and problems with interpersonal relationships. This is because of the mental stress that children experienced as a result of corporal punishment. (Straus, 2000, p. 73-74). There are similar studies to support the conclusions made by Straus. One such study is that of Turner and Muller (2004), who stated that "level of corporal punishment is positively related to depressive symptoms, independent of any history of abuse and the frequency of other forms of punishment" (p. 761). Special emphasis is made on anger that accompanies the punishment. They found that this is the biggest contributing factor to the negative impact of punishment on children as they reach adulthood (Turner & Muller, 2004, p. 777). Despite the findings, such as those presented by Straus, not everyone is convinced that corporal punishment is altogether unacceptable. Greven (as cited in Straus, 2000, p. 60) believed that the lack of attention towards the issue of the negative effects of corporal punishment is due to the fact that almost 100% of Americans have been subjected to it, thus it became an acceptable way of life for them. However, researchers who do not oppose every form of corporal punishment are not merely products of the norms of society, but they also have produced scientific studies to support their claim. A major disagreement involves the generalization of all corporal punishment. Some researchers question the validity of the studies made regarding all types of corporal punishment. These researchers assert that not all forms of punishment negatively affect the psyche of the child, especially if the form of punishment is non-abusive and is coupled with a loving disposition. Several researchers oppose the stand of Straus against all forms of corporal punishment. Larzelene (1998), for one, stated that punishment accompanied by love does not count as abusive and should be considered as part of the more effective means of disciplining children. There are a number of scientists who support this idea and who urge others to qualify what is harmful from what is constructive. They insist that investigations into corporal punishment should differentiate spanking from the abusive form of punishment. Friedman and Schonberg (as cited in Baumrind, 2001, p. 1) defined spanking "to refer to striking the child on the buttocks or extremities with an open hand without inflicting physical injury with the intention to modify behavior." Some scientists believe that this is still an essential form of discipline, necessary to curb misbehaviors in children. Larzelene (1998) even developed a model suggesting that "optimal disciplinary responses begin with less severe tactics, such as reasoning, but proceed to firmer disciplinary tactics when the initial tactic achieves neither compliance nor an acceptable compromise." Here, spanking would just serve as a last resort, just in case the misbehavior does not stop. There are findings that do not support Larzelene's method, which emphasizes that the punishment has to be done with a loving disposition. In their investigation on the long-term effects of corporal punishment, Turner and Muller (2004) insist that almost always, disciplinary actions are accompanied by anger and frustration, causing the parents to be less consistent, less controlled and impulsive (p. 777). Baumrind (2001) recognized the differences in opinions regarding corporal punishment and punishment of children in general, and thereby conducted a study that will try to assess the subject in an objective manner (p. 1). This study was intended to verify if all forms of corporal punishment should be considered unacceptable. The study included verbal punishment into the equation and distinguished mild punishment from abusive punishment. The researcher concluded that there are no detrimental effects from mild spanking, and it is only with abusive punishment that detrimental effects become evident (Baumrind, 2001, p. 9-10). Opponents of anti-spanking do not encourage corporal punishment. Rather, they see it as a last resort, which should become necessary if the child's misbehavior does not cease. Larzelere (1998) indicated that the reasoning-punishment combination is the major factor for improvements in children's behavior, and that the punishment aspect enhances the effectiveness of the reasoning. Every parent wants their children to grow self-disciplined, respectful of the law and of other people. To achieve this, most of them resort to punishment tactics that to which they have been accustomed. There is strong evidence that abusive corporal punishment of children results in unhealthy emotional and psychological development. Some insist that all forms of corporal punishment are detrimental to the psychological well being of individuals, while others believe that there is still a need for corporal punishment, and that there should be a distinction between disciplinary punishment and abusive punishment. While it is left to the parents to decide how they should discipline their children, appropriate guide and direction has to be provided by social scientists to help parents in area of childrearing. Currently, there is no clear conclusion as to whether all forms of corporal punishment should be banned or if even mild spanking can be detrimental to the psychological development of a child. Still, one clear finding has been established, and this would have to do with abusive or severe corporal punishment. Even as opponents and supporters of corporal punishment are still battling in terms of sufficient evidence and unbiased investigation, it can be concluded that abusive punishment is detrimental to the mental and emotional development of children. References Baumrind, D. (2001, August 24). Does causally relevant research support a blanket injunction against disciplinary spanking by parents Invited address at the 109th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. Retrieved December 8, 2005, from http://ihd.berkeley.edu/baumrindpaper.pdf. Larzelere, R.E. (1998) Combining love and limits in authoritative parenting: A conditional sequence model of disciplinary response. Retrieved December 8, 2005, from http://parenthood.library.wisc.edu/Larzelere/Larzelere.html. Straus, M.A. (2000). Beating the devil out of them: Corporate punishment in American families and its effects on children. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publications. Turner, H.A., & Muller, P.A. (2004). Long-term effects of child corporal punishment on depressive symptoms in young adults. Journal of Family Issues 25(6), 761-782. Retrieved December 8, 2005, from http://jfi.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/25/6/761. Read More