Brain and Spanking

Who doesn’t want their child to be smart and successful? Studies at the University of New Hampshire and the Prevention Research Center of Berkeley, California, have found that children who were spanked in childhood have lower IQs. The more they were spanked, the slower the development of their mental ability and the lower their IQ level. The IQ of children 2–4 years old who were not spanked was 5 points higher when tested four years later compared with those who were spanked. The more corporal punishment received, the more they fell behind children who were not spanked. Those who experience corporal punishment into the teenage years may have their brain development hampered even more. Because children tend to find spanking highly stressful, they often experience Posttraumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]. Ways to discipline that avoid undesirable outcomes take careful thought and time to implement. Such strategies, however, have been linked with a reduction in juvenile delinquency, adult violence and masochistic sexual activity, an increased probability of completing higher education and earning a higher income, and lowered rates of depression and alcohol abuse. Bottom line? If you want smarter and more successful children, avoid spanking and correct misbehavior in other ways. It’s a long-term wellness issue.