Disciplining children through spanking or other physical punishment increases aggression and has negative health effects, the American Academy of Pediatrics warned on Monday, issuing its recommendations for parents against the use of corporal punishment.
The announcement came during the academy’s national conference in Orlando, and the full statement will be published in its December issue of the journal Pediatrics.
The policy statement emphasizes the harmful health effects, both physical and social, of hitting a child as a discipline tool. Research in children who were spanked more than twice a month at age 3 showed more aggression at age 5, the AAP said in a statement.
The academy also takes issue with verbal abuse, saying both acts can elevate stress hormones, disrupt normal brain development and has shown to be ineffective in teaching a child responsibility and self-control.
“The good news is, fewer parents support the use of spanking than they did in the past,” Dr. Robert D. Sege, author of the policy statement and past member of the AAP Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect, said in a press release. “Yet corporal punishment remains legal in many states, despite evidence that it harms kids — not only physically and mentally, but in how they perform at school and how they interact with other children.”
The AAP frequently issues recommendations and policy updates on issues ranging from the importance of childhood play to ensuring parents lock up their firearms to reduce injuries and deaths.
In October, the academy published guidelines on how pediatricians and parents can navigate the health concerns for transgender and “gender-diverse” youth as well as how to improve safety for teen drivers.
In the latest policy statement, the AAP recommends that pediatricians discuss with patient parents effective coping strategies for disciplining their children.
“It’s best to begin with the premise of rewarding positive behavior,” Dr. Benjamin S. Siegel, co-author of the policy statement, said in the press release. “Parents can set up rules and expectations in advance. The key is to be consistent in following through with them.”
The academy also recommends families in need of more intensive or targeted help be referred to community resources.
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