Spanking, other common discipline, often counterproductive says University of Michigan researcher
Using spanking, yelling and time outs as a way of disciplining your child isn't effective and may even be counterproductive, a University of Michigan study found.
The study was conducted by researchers at U-M and five other universities to examine discipline practices and perceptions in six different countries, including China, India, Italy, Kenya, Thailand and the Philippines.
Discipline techniques studied included teaching good behavior, having the child apologize, giving a time-out, taking away privileges, spanking, showing disappointment, shaming the child, yelling or scolding the child, withdrawing love, threatening punishment and promising privileges.
The study was conducted because much of the research about child discipline in the U.S. revolves around physical punishment, said Andy Grogan-Kaylor, U-M associate professor of social work. This was meant to examine the different impacts different forms of discipline had cross-culturally.
Unfortunately, Grogan-Kaylor said, many forms of discipline just didn't work or had a negative impact for parents involved in this study.
Spanking, in particular, was singled out as one form of discipline that leads to child aggression and anxiety no matter the country, researchers said. Giving time-outs, expressing disappointment, spanking or shaming a child were greatly related to child anxiety.
Using disappointment, yelling, and spanking were all linked to child aggression, according to the study.
A forms of discipline that did appear to work on some level, and are supported by previous studies, involved taking away privileges from the child and taking the time to teach what good and bad behavior was, he said.
"Parenting is an inherently slow process," Grogan-Kaylor said. "Spanking fools us because … your child's behavior in the short term, the course of a day, is improved." Over time, he said, is when aggression and anxiety can build.
Taking more time with a child, to explain right and wrong, and developing stronger relationships with them in the long-term, has a greater demonstrable impact on behavior, he said.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
Comments
Gary M Unruh MSW LCSW
Wed, Apr 7, 2010 : 10:43 a.m.
Does it work when your boss or husband/wife yells at you-especially if you feel disrespected? Its ugly. It doesnt work for kids either. A respectful relationship along with firm, clear, expectations always works best. Thats what the study points out and what Ive found to work best based upon over forty years as a child mental health counselor. Lets use the study to review our parenting, the hardest but most potentially rewarding job well ever have. Do I have a good kid/parent relationship and is my discipline firm, consistent, and respectful? Or is there too much anger, yelling, and disappointment in my discipline? For tips on how to make this parent connection and discipline work well together, refer to my book, Unleashing the Power of Parental Love. (unleashingparentallove.com). Take-home lesson: Make sure you have a good kid/parent emotional connection as you discipline your kid and watch your child flourish even more.
Tina Reed
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 5:49 p.m.
I had the chance to chat with the author of this study today and this story was updated to further reflect his comments.
Anonymous Due to Bigotry
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 5:02 p.m.
I agree. This article is worthless since it seems to just lead one to believe that there's nothing they can do to discipline their children. Is this article some sort of unpaid advertisement for some sort of new-age permissive parenting hypothesis?
Mary
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 2:28 p.m.
The first thing to do is avoid, to the extent possible, situations which you know your child can't handle--i.e. don't take a hungry, tired toddler to go clothes shopping. Second, give them things to do, like help out, draw (on paper), etc. Third, don't humiliate them. Imagine the world from their point of view and ask yourself what is most likely to make them cooperative. If you do this when they're young, by the time they're teenagers you have a trusting relationship which can handle conflict.
Sandra Samons
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 11:24 a.m.
I found this article very disappointing because it focused exclusively on what does NOT work, and said nothing about the findings of the study about what DOES work. That makes it nearly useless reporting unless, of course, this was the nature of the findings of the study itself. In which case, the study itself sounds nearly useless and the reporter might have commented on that aspect of it. No wonder the other comments express so much frustration.
Mick52
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 10:13 a.m.
I always considered spanking as the nuclear weapon of child discipline, to be used only when nothing else would work and the situation is DefCon 1. What was most useful was the threat of taking what they loved the most and kill it. Works at all ages, toys in youth, then cell phones, then car keys as they get up there. Works very well.
russellr
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 8:20 a.m.
I was spanked as a child and I am glad my mother and father loved me enough to give me good morals. You just don't come out of a belly and know what to do and act. You have to be taught just like anything else. If you love your child you will have to correct them. I don't know a perfect child born. The bible says we come in this world speaking lies. God talks about correcting your child. In the old testament if a child was disobediant he was brought out and the elders stoned him. I say if you love them you will teach them how to behaive and act. I have four children and they were spanked when they needed it. Not out of being angry My children are wonderful, respectful, loving and kind adults. I couldn't ask for any better adult children. I have people comment all the time what wonderful children we have raised. I'm so thankful we loved our children enough to correct and spend our time teaching them right from wrong.
krc
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 7:42 a.m.
I raised my kids according to the counsel set out for parentsin the Bible which includes spanking, according to these scriptures: "The one holding back his rod is hating his son,but the one loving him does look for him with discipline." - Proverbs 13:24 "The rod and reproof are what give wisdom,but a boy let on the loose will be causing his mother shame." Proverbs 29:15 And finally "Foolishness is tied up in the heart of a boy; the rod of discipline is what will remove it far from him." Proverbs 22:15 Discipline also involves reasoning with them in love, never just lashing out. Discipline is the main thing. If it doesn't work, then a spanking is in order. That is what "the rod AND reproof" is telling us.
A2K
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 6:48 a.m.
Well, how else are you to get kids to behave if you don't use one of these techniques? Sure, try reasoning with them...but if the behavior continues then what? The punishment should fit the crime - and when I was growing up that was the rule. Most naughty behaviors were "stern talking-to", the next level up was bashishment to the study where there was nothing interesting to do for an hour and cold dinner. The final level (for really bad behavior) was spanking with all family members present and reduction of all non-school activites - it wasn't the pain of getting swatted a few times on the rear, it was the shame of it, and, let me tell you, was a powerful deterrent.
Peregrine
Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 12:08 a.m.
How come such discussions always end up with people using such specious arguments? The first specious argument is claiming false dichotomies, putting up a straw man as the only alternative to their challenged beliefs. It's either spanking or singing Kumbaya? It's either firm discipline or allowing the kids to act like tyrants. It's either spanking or being verbally abusive. The second specious argument is misrepresenting the claim of the opponent. Fortunately I don't see any strong examples here. But these arguments often have people saying that they don't believe that spanking will lead to life-long therapy or institutionalization, even though no one is making such a claim. We do see a weaker variant in this discussion -- I was spanked and I turned out fine. Did the study claim that those who were spanked don't end up being "fine" by any standard of "fine"? So the study found that: Spanking, in particular, was singled out as one form of discipline that leads to child aggression and anxiety no matter the country, researchers said. Do you reject the finding out of hand? Do you think the study was flawed? What have other studies of spanking found? Are parenting techniques that lead to more aggression in a child a good idea? I agree, the article does not provide a good sense of alternatives, apparently because the study does not. But that doesn't undermine their findings?
Sonya
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 10:07 p.m.
Can someone tell us whether "Andrew Grogan-Kaylor, U-M associate professor of social work" has any children of his own?
bunnyabbot
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 9:39 p.m.
well I was spanked as a child and ended up fine, I seriously don't think it could not have happened more than 10 times from the ages 4 to 9. Spanking was one (three max) swat on the butt. If the enviornment is overall loving and stable I really don't think it is a big deal that parents have the ultimate threat of spanking for "serious" offenses, like outright defiance as the running in the street, setting your brother on fire or some other thing. I would say though it is seems to be most effective from ages 4-6, kids can't reason everything like a school age kid, but learn quickly bad behavior gets a swat, the parents have the final say and the kid is expected to mind their parents. I think most people would have taken a few swats on the rear from a loving parent if the alturnative meant thier parents weren't verbally abusive.
Chris Blackstone
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 7:42 p.m.
That quote from the U of M prof seems to set discipline against spending time with your kids and loving them. I don't know anyone who would discipline their child while not loving them or spending time with them.
SonnyDog09
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 6:04 p.m.
Why do you think they call it "rearing a child"? :-)
Black Coffee :)
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 5:33 p.m.
This reminds me of a story that my dad told me When I was a boy. when he was on the Ann Arbor police department back in the fifties. a University of Michigan professor Called in a report When my dad arrived at the professors address the professor welcomed my dad and another officer in. And I don't remember what my dad said the report was about,But he noticed holes in the walls furniture broken writing on the walls And coloring with cranes on the walls My father couldn't help but ask what happened, and a professor with a straight face replied it was just my children, I believe In punishing Them that would stifle their CREATIVITY. I used to laugh about this but not anymore to many people are following this stupidity.Like the little boy in this article his facial expression is exactly what you get from many children today when their parents ask them to do something And throw herself on the floor or ground or wherever they are. but we must remember not to Stifle their CREATIVITY From the mouth of a University of Michigan college professor.
Lokalisierung
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 4:36 p.m.
I put sometimes down there. Hard for me to relate because we didn't have 'time-outs' when I was a kid so I don't know how effective they are. I do remember groundings, and spankings, and at different times found them to be just as effective, or ineffective as anything else. I think there comes a time when you might have to go up a notch and take care of business. My mom had a wooden paddle, we knew what it meant, and we kept that in mind. I'm certainly not in the crowd that thinks the occasional spanking is child abuse and mentally cripples the kid for life. But yes as jrigglem pointed out just about anything leads to a negative trait in the child. So what are we to do?
uawisok
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 4:25 p.m.
My 3 year old son bolted across a 4 way neighborhood intersection while on a family walk. He had looked at us, grinned, then bolted across without following numerous directives about how to safely cross the street. He was directly defing our teaching and put himself in a situation that could have turned deadly. Previous concequences spoken of prior to his disobediance that included spanking were known and upon reaching the other side he was told what he had done had put himself in danger and that when we returned home he was going to get a spanking and grounded. We follwed thru and he never put himself in danger again when crossing the street, Now he is 19 and well adjusted and thanked us for the occasional spanking when he did something that could have had deadly outcomes.
jrigglem
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 4:13 p.m.
So what I'm getting from this article is that any form of discipline for your child is wrong? We're just suppose to let them act like little tyrants and when they end up in juvie blame the music they listen to?
treetowncartel
Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 3:56 p.m.
Ok, so what is the immediate reaction when your child does wrong, like hitting or biting another kid? Sing Kumbaya with them?