Spanking: There is a better discipline

      Spanking and other methods of physical discipline (corporal punishment) can pose serious health risks to children. Spanking has been found to hurt a child physically and mentally. Although I am a supporter of spanking and somewhat disagree with this theory, a lot of people agree with it. Parents and professionals feel that spanking can have negative effects on children. As a result, researchers have started to conduct studies to further evaluate spanking and the effects it can have on children. Some studies were difficult to conduct because while at home some parents do not like to spank kids in front of others. In the field (laboratory) it was hard because people do not usually spank in public. Nevertheless, there have been some successful studies done. Throughout the years of studies and research a lot of the findings have been similar. Studies have found that physical punishment (spanking) can lead to increased aggression, antisocial behavior, damaged mental health, and physical injuries. Some long term effects that have been found include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and personality disorders in 2% to 7% of people observed. According to psychology professor Alan Kazdin, “There is no need for corporal punishment based on the research. We are not giving up an effective technique. We are saying this is a horrible thing that does not work” (Kazdin 2012). People found that spanking may work momentarily to stop bad behavior but it does not work in the long term. According to research spanking does more harm than good. Since all of the findings, a lot of parent's views on spanking have been altered. Some parents now prefer to use the alternative methods of discipline such as time outs and loss of privileges. They feel these methods pose a less threat on the child.

      Another negative outcomes of spanking is that it can destroy trust and self esteem. Children genuinely trust their parents and upon being spanked they trust their parents a little less. A child's self esteem can be damaged as well. “It's a very embarrassing thing to be spanked and shame is one of the most intolerable feelings to experience” (Greenberg 2012). As a result, the child could start to build a protective shield around themselves and have trust issues later in life. People have many opinions regarding spanking. A lot comes from experience and the outcome of research studies. In short, active practice of any discipline method will have the deepest impact.

(Disagreeing perspective, 415 word count)

References:

Smith, Brendan. "The Case Against Spanking". American Psychological Association. Vol 43. No 4. April 2012.Web. 6 Noember 2013.

Narvaez, Darcia. “Research on Spanking: It's Bad for All Kids”. Psychology Today. September 8 2013.Web. 6 November 2013