Study Finds Spanking Has Declined, But Pediatricians Worry About Impact Of Pandemic

This article is really impressive … and corresponds with our view that there’s been a generational change,” said child abuse pediatrician Dr. Robert Sege, lead author of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ policy statement on corporal punishment. “Younger people tend not to hit their children,” said Sege, who was not involved in the new study. “As we’ve woken up to the issues of domestic violence and intimate partner violence there’s been a growing rejection of any sort of violence within the home, including spanking.” Large sample of parents The new analysis used data from the Monitoring the Future study, a national survey of 25 consecutive groups of graduating high school seniors between 1993 and 2017. Each group was reassessed 17 years later, at about 35 years of age. The study excluded those without children or with older children and focused on parents with at least one biological child, adopted child or stepchild age 2 to 12 years living at home part time or full time. Some 50% of parents reported spanking a child in 1993; By 2017 that number was down to 35%. While excellent news, that number is still too high by standards set by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2018. The pediatricians’ group suggests adults caring for children use “healthy forms of discipline” — such as positive reinforcement of appropriate behaviors, setting limits and setting expectations — and not use span...
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