(WTRF)- A new study found that spanking doesn’t bring positive results and could have real harm to a child’s life.
The Lancet published the study after researchers looked at 69 previous studies from several countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, China, Colombia, Greece, Japan, Switzerland, and Turkey.
The researchers said physical punishment can increase problems in a child’s behavior over time, it’s not associated with positive outcomes over time and increases the risk of involvement from child protective services.
“Physical punishment is increasingly viewed as a form of violence that harms children,” the study read. “The consistency of these findings indicates that physical punishment is harmful to children and that policy remedies are warranted.”
The author, Elizabeth Gershoff, said physical punishment led to “increased aggression, increased antisocial behavior, and increased disruptive behavior in school.”
Some results showed a mix of negative and positive outcomes of parents using corporal punishment, but most showed a negative impact of the disciplinary action.
