The case against physical punishment

Abstract

We review the literature on parental physical punishment of children, laying out foundations of a case against physical punishment as a form of discipline. We consider the research on physical punishment finding that physical punishment is associated with a number of undesirable outcomes for children and adolescents. We pay special attention to questions of: parent effects versus child effects; whether parental use of physical punishment is moderated by family, neighborhood, or cultural context, and whether physical punishment can be considered to be part of a continuum of family violence. We close with recommendations for positive parenting policies and practices.