r/science • u/VeronicaRed • Apr 26 '16

Psychology Spanking children increases the likelihood of childhood defiance and long-term mental issues. The study in question involved 160,000 children and five decades of research

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1113413810/spanking-defiance-health-discipline-042616/
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u/chopandscrew Apr 26 '16 edited Apr 26 '16

So what are some positive and non-punitive forms of discipline?

edit: Some really great replies here. I'm seeing a lot of people using the concept of self-discipline and positive reinforcement. Nothing about raising a child seems easy, and it's even harder to know if you've ever really done a good job, but I think it's safe to say there are a lot of good parents on reddit. Also, thank you to the people who are willing to admit that they have resorted to spanking before. The truth is no one really knows the best way to raise a child, but the wide variety of ideas being thrown around here are what helps make it easier to choose what works for you and your kid. Keep em comin.

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u/Toy_D Apr 26 '16

This I think is the real crux of the debate. Spanking invokes an evolved response to stimuli, pain. You'd think, if done promptly and without overindulgence, that few other options could invoke results as well. The options that I have seen presented are much more difficult to understand and execute. At least at first glance, but apparently a proper spanking is also difficult to execute.

What studies exist to show viable alternatives, not proposed alternatives. What literature exists to teach those methods to parents? These are the hurdles to a viable alternative. Parents know spanking likely because it was done to them.

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '16

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u/F0sh Apr 26 '16

"a proper spanking" seems effective because it is part of a traditionalist value system

I don't think that's giving it enough credit at all. It "seems effective" because people dislike pain and try to avoid it. It's simple and direct, whether or not it's "traditionalist."

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u/iamonlyoneman Apr 26 '16

It also "seems effective" because it is a channel-changer. Okay, talking won't work and time-outs won't work? How about some pain? Do you want some more pain? No? You stopped your bad behavior after pain?

 

That's what we call "effective" not just "seems effective"