Physical Discipline for Children - Case Study Example

Should parents be allowed to use physical discipline? Affiliation Should parents be allowed to use physical discipline? Introduction Physical discipline is a controversial practice of parenting that is used by vast majority of Americans. Many people have a strong opinion on the issue based on their experience, culture, religious beliefs among other overwhelming reasons. Recently, many countries have banned corporal punishment at home and school. However, in United States, physical discipline that causes no physical harm is a legal practice in parenting. Research has demonstrated the consequences of physical discipline in parenting and shown how it affects the relationship between the parents the children. This paper is going to examine whether parents should be allowed to punish their children physically if they want to. Through use of research articles, the two sides issue will be explored, conclusions drawn and relate it to my personal beliefs. Parents should administer physical discipline Parents should administer physical punishment if they desire to apply it without causing physical harm. The rationale of this being administering of corporal discipline in parenting has shown impressive results as a form of parenting among the Americans. The reason of the practice is based on the outcomes that have been witnessed in their children. Research has also demonstrate that though not the best parenting practice, corporal punishment has been linked to good result (Simons et al., 2012). Physical discipline involves spanking, slapping and hitting a child in response to misbehavior. Through the parents beliefs, experience and culture, corporal punishment has been shown handy. Exploration of two journals supports the idea that parents should use physical discipline to their children if they feel to do it. Simons et al. (2012) aimed at filling the gap that exists on consequences of corporal punishment as a parenting practice among the African Americans. It explores the relative effectiveness of various styles of parenting. It hypothesizes that corporal punishment is not always linked to poor outcomes. With longitudinal study design, measurement of both the severity and consequences of corporal punishment was done in relation to child outcome. It is rottenly assumed that warm parenting rarely utilizes corporal punishment. From the research, parents high in responsiveness are unlikely to administer corporal punishment compared to parents who are low on responsiveness (Simons et al., 2012). There is a perception that corporal punishment is indicative of demanding parenting or strictness. However, this is not the case always. According Simons et al. (2012), 29% of parents who are high at demandingness or strictness use corporal punishment and 35% of small demanding parents utilize corporal punishment. Both demand and responsiveness are critical in enhancing school engagement. This is minimal indication that corporal punishment encourages or discourages school participation. Corporal punishment is an ineffective approach in the absence of responsiveness or demandingness. No-nonsense style of parenting involving use of corporal punishment in the warm and supporting context with supervision disciplines produces good outcomes. Corporal punishment without clear expectations and standards is ineffective parenting approach and usually produces poor results. Therefore, warm parents who monitor consistent discipline do little harm by using corporal punishment (Simons et al., 2012). Germán et al. (2013) also support the issue. The study examines maternal warmth as a moderator between harsh discipline practices and externalizing problems among the adolescents in Mexican American families. The externalizing behavior is those behaviors that are seen defiant in the family or society. The study hypothesize that, at higher levels of maternal warmth, there is no relationship between externalizing problems and harsh discipline whereas at low level of maternal warmth, there exists a relationship. Despite vast literature supporting the positive correlation between harsh disciplines and externalizing behaviors, the empirical and emerging evidence challenge this generalization (Germán et al., 2013). Although some reviews conclude that physical and verbal punishment is linked with poor outcomes, the studies did not examine the role moderators in such as of maternal warmth. The findings show that the effect of harsh disciplinary measures in adolescents externalizing behaviors is conditional. The results are based on the maternal warmth levels. Under high levels of maternal warmth, there is no relationship between the two. However, under low maternal warmth levels, there exist a relationship between harsh discipline and externalizing problems (Germán et al., 2013). The implications for the practice, application and policy of strict discipline are controversial. Many states have adopted public policies to reduce severe, harsh discipline among the adolescents. However, most of these policies are contentious and contradict the adults experience that the majority used corporal punishment and deviant behaviors did not develop. Parents should not be allowed to use physical discipline Parents should not be permitted to use physical discipline with their children. This is because vast literature has shown that harsh discipline measures negatively affect the children physically and emotionally. Externalizing behaviors have developed when the corporal punishment was used. This further shows how detrimental it is. Additionally, there are no feasible benefits of using corporal punishment. Lansford et al. (2012) suggests that the corporal punishment is related to child externalizing behaviors. The frequency of the corporal punishment is noted to have a link to the levels of child externalizing behaviors. The study is aimed to determine whether the frequency of corporal punishment has effect on externalizing behaviors. This involved children who had experienced no spanking to those with more than six. They examined whether mild spankings would progressively develop into harsh spanking and development of externalizing behavior (Lansford et al., 2012).The findings showed that using one form of corporal punishment would lead to use of another harsher form of corporal punishment. The progress of no spanking, mild spanking in a given year gave a probability of 50% chances of harsher spanking in the following year. Regardless of the number and form of corporal punishment administered to the children, there are increased possibilities of having externalizing behavior. One form of corporal punishment leads to another form of corporal punishment that is harsher than the former. The parents progressively move from no spanking, mild spanking and end up to using object in a more severe form of spanking. The ultimate effect of corporal punishment on the children is development of the externalizing behavior. Therefore, parents should not administer corporal punishment (Lansford et al., 2012). The implication of this study is to help minimize use of any form of corporal punish. Either through the policies that have been developed, the utilization corporal discipline in school or home has been prohibited. This means that despite the some parenting having the experience that the physical discipline is worth should resist from that. However, the issue has faced controversy as in United States physical discipline is allowed so long as it causes no harm. This means, the parents will probably increase the frequency of administering physical discipline at levels that will lead to externalizing behavior. Fung and Lau (2009) in their international journal of behavior development, examines the cultural child rearing beliefs influence on the punitive discipline and child`s behavior adjustment. There is a positive correlation across cultural groups that physical punitive discipline lead to internalizing and externalizing behaviors among the Chinese-American immigrant children. The aim of this study is to explore how culture dictates the use of corporal punishment. The finding found out that the Chinese culture emphasizes on parental control, and it does not necessarily lead to increased use of punitive discipline. Training ideologies that inform parents to cultivate healthy behaviors, development and governance in the child has shown that there were very few children with externalizing behaviors (Fung & Lau, 2009). The findings provide a new role of culture in shaping the meaning and implication of punitive disciplinary practices by the parents. The training ideology seems to buffer against negative behaviors outcome. When the parents firmly hold motivation and responsibility and administer physically mediated punitive discipline, children do not exhibit deviant behaviors. However, the study does not support use of punitive punishment irrespective of cultural beliefs and motivations (Fung & Lau, 2009). Limitations The findings cannot be generalized to all the settings. Consequently, the application of corporal punishment in one setting and its effects is different in another setting. The research did not explore the genetic factors that surround behavior development. This limits the finding to be generalized to other settings. The findings do not relate the age of both parties and do not compare the childhood life of the parents. This can equally affect the corporal punishment application. Conclusion From the above-critiqued literatures from the four journals, the use of physical discipline by parents or teachers is still a controversial issue. However, it can generally be seen that the use of physical discipline can achieve positive outcomes depending on the context they are used in. Single use of physical punishment has no positive results when combined with other useful parenting techniques, greater results are seen. Therefore, parents can use using correctly physical discipline with a warm relationship with the child. More research should be carried out that incorporate all issues of gender, culture and economic ability of the family. The research will explore how the factors affect the use of corporal punishment. The extent to which corporal punishment to be used to give the best results should also be explore. This will help add value to the already existing data. From the finding, then decisions should be made on either to ban or uphold corporal punishment. Personal views Through personal experience is support that parents can use physical discipline for their children. The failure to use physical punishment at the young developmental ages may create laxity in children and exhibit deviant behavior however, the motive of using physical punishment should be apparent between the parent and child. Severe physical discipline creates a rift between a parent and the children, and this can lead to behavior issues. In that regard, the scientific conclusion fits with my personal view. The scientific literature however influenced my way of thinking. The other side that refuses corporal punishment has considerable power. The argument on the use of one form of physical discipline can lead to a harsher form of punishment in the subsequent disciplinary. This can lead to having a weak relationship with the child. The use of cultural training as a buffer of externalizing behavior also is handy. The belief I had that culture demands the use of physical discipline was changed. This means through use of training ideologies in any cultural setting, the desired behaviors of the children can be achieved. References Fung, J., & Lau, A.S.  (2009).  Punitive discipline and child behavior problems in Chinese- American immigrant families: The moderating effects of indigenous child-rearing ideologies.  International Journal of Behavioral Development, 33, 520-530. Germán, M., Gonzales, N. A., McClain, D. B., Dumka, L., & Millsap, R. (2013). Maternal Warmth Moderates the Link between Harsh Discipline and Later Externalizing Behaviors for Mexican American Adolescents. Parenting, Science and Practice, 13(3), 169–177. doi:10.1080/15295192.2013.756353 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(2), 224–236. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2011.00700. Simons, G. L., Simons, L. R., & Su, X. (2013). Consequences of Corporal Punishment Among African Americans: The Importance of Context and Outcome. J Youth Adolescence , 42, 1273–1285 Read More