Sparing the Rod (and the Chair?)

Corporal punishment is illegal in many countries yet remains a core disciplinary practice in countless American families. The current debate often finds itself drawn along political lines, despite a fairly vast literature that finds little to support spanking. A lack of short-term effectiveness coupled with evidence that corporeal punishment leads to worse child behavior has led most child experts to discourage parents from using it. Indeed, some have even moved to condemn what were considered less harsh techniques like time-outs, although here the evidence is weaker. Lacking in many of these arguments is the consideration of several “it depends” factors that may be playing an important role in the degree that corporeal punishment results in resentment and feelings of rejection on the part of the child.