Study says smacking not good for kids
SMACKING makes children's behaviour "worse not better”, according to a new study.
Dr Elizabeth Gershoff from the University of Texas in Austin claimed in her study smacking teaches children that when the parent is around, they should behave.
"Otherwise they will be hit,” she said.
"The child does not learn how to manage themselves when the parent is not around.”
Warwick psychologist Mark Cary agreed.
"A lot of research backs that up,” he said.
"Self-control is based on avoidance rather than fully understanding why you should do something.
"If the punishment is just a smack without explanation, without direction to the right behaviour, what can happen is that the child may do it when the parent is not there.
"The key is consistency which comes through education and conversation.”
Mr Cary said smacking should only be a last resort.
"Parents should find other options and I don't recommend smacking children over the age of three or four,” he said.
"After this age, parents should move to directional and explanational techniques, applying consequences to bad behaviour, such as the removal of privileges.”
Warwick resident Shania Connolly said she was smacked as a child when in the wrong, and didn't see anything detrimental with it.
"It helped me learn right and wrong very quickly,” she said.
"Each to their own, but there are other ways as well.
"But it didn't certainly didn't have any lasting effects on me.”
As it stands, 53 nations currently have a total ban on smacking children.
