Smacking kids is form of ‘abuse’, study finds
A damning study has found smacking children has no positive effects and can lead to behavioural problems, prompting experts to call for a ban on physical punishment of children.
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Smacking makes children behave badly and is a form of child abuse, experts say.
A new US study of more than 2000 children found physical punishment is linked to behavioural problems, and should be avoided by parents.
Lead author Professor Andrew Grogan-Kaylor of the University of Michigan — one of the leading researchers in the field — found no evidence that smacking had a positive effect. It did not protect disadvantaged children from harm or injury “by ensuring their obedience and preventing misbehaviours”.
In fact, “physical punishment was associated with subsequent increases in children’s behaviour problems”.
Professor Grogan-Taylor said “large-scale policy interventions to reduce the use of physical punishment may also benefit the wellbeing of many children”.
So far, 59 countries — but not Australia — have banned or outlawed the physical punishment of children.
Victorian law allows parents to administer corporal punishment provided it is neither unreasonable nor excessive. However, it is unlawful in formal educational and care settings.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians has found smacking to be the main form of discipline among many parents, and has called for it to be banned.
Commissioner for Children and Young People, Liana Buchanan, said Professor Grogan-Kaylor’s research “provides further evidence that physical violence against children is not an effective way to manage behaviour and can in fact create greater behavioural problems”.
“It surprises me that, as a community, we accept that violence by an adult against another adult is a criminal offence, whereas the same violence against a child is not,” she said.
Professor Julie Green, executive director at raisingchildren.net.au said smacking was not a good way to discipline children.
“Smacking might physically hurt a child. It can give children the message that it is OK to hit others if people don’t behave the way they want them to, and it can lead to long-term problems in children’s health and development,” she said.
Parenting expert and author Justin Coulson said children “have a basic human right to be raised in an environment free of violence”.
“Legislation, carefully crafted, will bring us closer to that ideal,” he said.
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