The issue of whether spanking does or does not contribute to later aggression remains controversial despite public policy statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other groups opposing spanking. Studies have remained inconsistent regarding whether spanking does or does not contribute to later aggression.
The Journal of Pediatrics published a research article by Jeff R. Temple, PhD, et al, in 2018 titled, “Childhood Corporal Punishment and Future Perpetration of Physical Dating Violence.” The results were from an adult-retrospective study and suggested that spanking and related corporal punishment could predict adult dating violence, but that actual physical child abuse exposure did not.
New research findings published in Springer Nature’s Psychiatric Quarterly journal attempted to replicate the study by using similar methodologies.
“Child Abuse, Spanking and Adult Dating Violence: A Replication Study of Temple et al, 2018” is based on research by Chris Ferguson, PhD, professor of psychology at Stetson University.
Current results did not replicate the findings of Temple et al, 2018. Exposure to child physical abuse predicted adult dating violence, but exposure to spanking and related corporal punishment did not. These results suggest it may be premature to link spanking to aggression in adulthood.
Dr. Ferguson is an aggression, violence and violent criminal behavior expert and available to discuss his research study with the media this week. Below you will find links to Drs. Ferguson and Temple’s journal articles, discussion points and Dr. Ferguson’s faculty profile link, which includes additional information about his background, expertise and research.
Discussion points:
- Whether childhood spanking does or does not contribute to later aggression in adulthood remains controversial.
- A prior study suggested spanking, but not actual physical abuse predicted adult dating violence.
- In this replication study, results did not replicate the prior study. Instead, child abuse predicted adult dating violence, but spanking did not predict adult dating violence.
- This replication study indicates spanking is unlikely to contribute to adult dating violence, but actual child physical abuse does.
- Many prior studies confuse the two and there is a need for more rigorous research in this area.
Dr. Chris Ferguson’s faculty profile:
http://www.stetson.edu/other/faculty/christopher-ferguson.php
Psychiatric Quarterly research journal article:
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11126-020-09742-5
Journal of Pediatrics research article from 2018:
