Correlates and consequences of harsh discipline for young children
J. R. Smith and J. Brooks-Gunn
Center for Young Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence, predictors, and consequences of harsh
discipline in a sample of low-birth-weight children at 1 and 3 years of
age. DESIGN: Analysis of data from the Infant Health and Development
Program, an 8-site randomized clinical trial of low-birth-weight infants.
The sample for analysis consisted of 715 children who were 3 years of age.
The independent measurements of primary interest were the mother's hitting
and scolding of her child as disciplinary practice. Analyses were run
separately for boys and girls. Bivariate and logistic analyses were used to
examine the predictors of the mother's hitting and scolding behavior.
Multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine the consequences of
the mother's harsh discipline on a child's IQ measured at age 3 years. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURES: The mother's self-report of whether she used more than 1
physical punishment in the past week, as well as an observer's report from
2 home visits of whether the mother hit or scolded the child during the
2-hour home visit. In addition, the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale was
used to examine the consequences of persistent harsh discipline on child
well-being. RESULTS: Findings demonstrate child, maternal, and
environmental factors that might aggravate a parent's use of corporal
punishment. Boys received higher amounts of harsh discipline on all outcome
measures. For boys, growing up in an impoverished home was predictive of
the greater likelihood of receiving harsh punishment. Using IQ at age 3
years as the outcome measure, girls were found to be vulnerable to
persistent harsh discipline and lack of maternal warmth. Maternal harsh
discipline in a context of low maternal warmth was associated with IQ
scores for girls that are 12 points lower than the IQ scores of girls who
received low punishment and high warmth.
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Slack et al.
Child Maltreat 2004;9:395-408.
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Regalado et al.
Pediatrics 2004;113:1952-1958.
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Chapter 5: The Effects of Welfare Reform on the Educational Outcomes of Parents and Their Children
Ripke and Crosby
REVIEW OF RESEARCH IN EDUCATION 2002;26:181-261.
Ethnicity, Income, and Parenting Contexts of Physical Punishment in a National Sample of Families with Young Children
Wissow
Child Maltreat 2001;6:118-129.
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Slapping and spanking in childhood and its association with lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a general population sample
MacMillan et al.
CMAJ 1999;161:805-809.
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In Reply
Straus et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1998;152:306-309.
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ON PUNISHING CHILDREN
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