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Unit VI Assignment

Jonathan Jones – 277288

Columbia Southern University

Physical Punishment as a Cause for Negative Effects on Children

Of the many methods of child discipline, physical punishment of children by their parents and peers can cause them to perceive violence as a way to resolve conflict, lead them to believe that violence does not hurt anyone, and encourage disobedience (Gershoff, 2002). Corporal punishment is ineffective in disciplining children, but it can cause psychological problems for them in the future. Physical abuse causes long-term harm to the child’s brain structure, which affects their emotions and behavior (Gershoff, 2002). Their parents should train children with open communication rather than corporal punishment because it is more effective in disciplining children than physical abuse.

Corporal punishment can be destructive to a child’s mental health. The parent is usually motivated by their love for their children and a desire to produce positive behavior. However, physical punishment does the opposite by creating an uncomfortable fear in children that violence could erupt at any time. Children who live in hit homes are much more likely to be verbally and physically aggressive as adults than those who were not subjected to physical punishment. Their friends, teachers, and others will notice how emotionally devastated they are by their parents’ treatment of them.

The first problem that kids can experience after being physically abused is emotional problems. This can be manifest in different levels of depression. Some cases of depression are mild, while others are severe. Severe depression can lead to suicidal thoughts, suicidal actions, and self-harm. Depression is a severe mental health disorder that affects millions of adults in the United States every year. Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders in children, and it can cause chronic pain, which can cause significant amounts of emotional suffering. Depression does not only cause a child to have trouble concentrating and become tired easily throughout the day, but it will affect their physical well-being as well.

Childhood anxiety disorders can follow a child from childhood into adulthood, and the severity of this disease can vary significantly from child to child. Any form of abuse, including corporal punishment, can seriously worsen the child’s anxiety. Studies have shown that children who were physically abused during childhood have higher rates of stress than those who did not experience physical abuse during childhood (Grusec & Goodnow, 1994). Anxiety disorders are prevalent in childhood and adolescence. They affect 11.3% of children under 18 in the United States (Trickett & Kuczynski, 1986). Approximately 21% of these children will show signs of anxiety disorders, with about one-third suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (CDC, 2014a). Anxiety disorders that affect children often harm their mental health throughout their lives.

Corporal punishment can cause various adverse effects on a child’s physical health and nervous system development, leading to long-term impacts. Frightening children by hitting them can cause them to develop severe anxiety, creating more problems in the future for themselves. A study done by the University of New Hampshire discovered that children who were physically abused when they were younger had more psychological problems in adulthood (Grusec & Goodnow, 1994). These problems include anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). An investigation done by the Journal of the American Medical Association, using data from a large sample of over 4500 adults, showed that those with a history of child abuse and neglect were more likely to be smokers or alcoholics than those who did not (Hughes, 2006). Corporal punishment can result in other adverse effects on children’s lives.

When children are abused physically by their parents or other people who do not care about them, they feel comfortable expressing themselves when they cannot express themselves verbally (Gershoff, 2002). This leaves them feeling that they cannot communicate their feelings, which can cause even more anxiety in them. These children will experience behavioral problems as adults because they could not express their feelings when they were kids. A study done by the University of New Hampshire found that abusers were more likely to have children who had behavioral problems than those children who did not (Grusec & Goodnow, 1994). Behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, somatic complaints, aggression, and impulsivity can be linked to physical abuse.

Children who experience physical punishment by their parents or others tend to feel bad about themselves because they cannot express themselves truly and fully (Gershoff, 2002). They may feel that the reason they were punished is that they are inherently bad. This, in turn, causes anxiety, and they will question their actions and beliefs. If children go through such experiences, they are less likely to try new things or even take risks. This is because they may feel that they may fail and be punished again.

References

Becker, W. C. (1964). Consequences of different kinds of parental discipline. Review of child development research, 1(4), 169-208.

Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (1998). Guidance for effective discipline. Pediatrics, 101(4), 723-728.

Grusec, J. E., & Goodnow, J. J. (1994). Impact of parental discipline methods on the child’s internalization of values: A reconceptualization of current points of view. Developmental psychology, 30(1), 4.

Lansford, J. E., & Deater‐Deckard, K. (2012). Childrearing discipline and violence in developing countries. Child Development, 83(1), 62-75.

Socolar, R. R., Savage, E., & Evans, H. (2007). A longitudinal study of parental discipline of young children. Southern Medical Journal, 100(5), 472-478.

Trickett, P. K., & Kuczynski, L. (1986). Children’s misbehaviors and parental discipline strategies in abusive and nonabusive families. Developmental psychology, 22(1), 115.

Gershoff, E. T. (2002). Corporal punishment, physical abuse, and the burden of proof: Reply to Baumrind, Larzelere, and Cowan (2002), Holden (2002), and Parke (2002).

Hughes, T. (2006). The neglect of children and culture: Responding to child maltreatment with cultural competence and a review of child abuse and culture: Working with diverse families.

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