Real Talk: What Ever Happened to Corporal Punishment?

We can all probably remember a time when our parents or friends told us a story about how they were hit with a “switch” or spanked so hard there was a red mark on their bum. Do you remember them saying it only hurt the first time then they got used to it? Or that it never really deterred them from doing whatever it was that caused the spanking; they just learned how to better hide it.

What is corporal punishment?

When someone uses intentional physical force to cause pain or discomfort as a way of discipline is is considered corporal punishment. At home this can be spanking or using a “switch” (e.g. branch, belt, etc.). Historically corporal punishment was used by authority figures or officials to punish people for crimes (e.g. flogging, public whipping, or stoning). In schools, teachers would hit disobedient children with paddles or rulers. They believed that children would stop the unruly behavior to avoid the pain.

When did corporal punishment decline?

In the 70s corporal punishment began to decline and courts began to rule that this type of punishment went against the Eighth Amendment's cruel and unusual punishment clause. Out of 50 states, 15 still allow corporal punishment in schools (Georgia being one of the 15). Some public schools go about this by having parents authorize the punishment. NPR published an article highlighting the experiences of students and school officials. Public corporal punishment for crimes ended in the United States in the 50s and some countries in the Middle East and Africa still use this as a way to deter people from committing crimes.

Is it illegal for me to spank my child?

Corporal punishment laws are state dependent. In Georgia, parents have the right to spank their children. Under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23(f), spanking does not count as battery or family violence unless the force causes physical injury (i.e. leaves marks, causes injury). In these cases parents can face felony charges. Anyone who works with children (e.g. child therapist) is a mandated reporter and are obligated to report any possible abuse (e.g. an unusual bruise, burn, or cut) to DFCS for further investigation.

Is spanking effective?

You may hear those who have been spanked or hit with a paddle say “oh my dad hit me and I turned out fine.” But lets break this down from a psychological perspective.

Behavioral psychology shows us that when you want to decrease the continuation of a behavior, you enforce a punishment. When you want a behavior to continue, you provide a reward. Punish unwanted behaviors and reward wanted behaviors.

Example: Your child comes home with a bad grade, so you spank him to decrease the likelihood of him/her bringing home bad grades.

The reality: The bad grade will not go away with a spanking. The bad grade needs to be replaced with a good grade which needs reinforcement of good study habits. What the spanking is actually doing is detering your child from telling you about the bad grade or encouraging lying or falsifying the grade. The next week they bring you a good grade that has been forged and they do not receive a spanking and therefore this reinforces the lying behavior.

What you are communicating to your child when you spank

Behavioral psychology tells us that a punishment extinguishes a unwanted behavior. So when we spank children we are teaching them that it is okay to hit someone in order to makes something we don’t like stop/go away. You are inadvertently teaching them that hitting is okay.

My mother told me a story about when I was 4 years old. I was kicking the back of her seat in the car and she reactively took her hand and slapped my legs and told me to stop. I immediately stopped and looked confused as I said “you told me we don’t hit our friends.” That was the last time my mother ever used any form of physical punishment.

Physical punishment can produce trauma responses. We think about a veteran who is easily startled by loud noises or overreacts in certain situations because of what he/she had endured. Child may develop anxiety, fear, shame, and other emotions either toward you or the event that caused the spankings. Research from the World Health Organization found links between corporal punishment and school dropout rates, physical aggression, mental health disorders, and changes in brain structure and functioning.

So you’re saying I shouldn’t discipline my child?

NO! Discipline does not mean physical punishment. It is important to provide structure and boundaries. Reinforce behavior you want to see continue. Reward them for studying. Praise them when they resolve conflicts without hitting. Punish by removing prefered activities or items. And make sure the punishment makes sense. If Tom kicked Bill at school his punishment may be that he does not get to play with his friends after school and instead has to write Bill an apology letter.