Citation

MacMillan HL, Mikton CR. Child Abuse Negl. 2017; 71: 5-8.

Affiliation

Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England Bristol, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, BS16 1QY, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Christopher.Mikton@uwe.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.02.012

PMID

28249733

Abstract

Despite numerous studies identifying a broad range of harms associated with the use of spanking and other types of physical punishment, debate continues about its use as a form of discipline. In this commentary, we recommend four strategies to move the field forward and beyond the spanking debate including: 1) use of methodological approaches that allow for stronger causal inference; 2) consideration of human rights issues; 3) a focus on understanding the causes of spanking and reasons for its decline in certain countries; and 4) more emphasis on evidence-based approaches to changing social norms to reject spanking as a form of discipline. Physical punishment needs to be recognized as an important public health problem.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Physical discipline; Physical punishment; Spanking