The findings of analysis for the magazine “Nature Human Behaviour” are revealing, as he found that physical punishment in children It is associated with behavioral and health problems, bad academic performance and reduced social and emotional development.
The researchers analyzed 195 studies related to corporal punishment in children published between 2002 and 2024 and involved in 92 countries of low and medium income. A similar study had been preceded by high -income countries with similar results.
Investigated 19 results associated with parent -child relationships, physical and mental health, violent behavior, attitude towards violence, substance use, cognitive function, social and emotional skills, sleep, motor skills and the possibility of involvement in child labor.
They found that corporal punishment was significantly associated with negative consequences in 16 of the 19 results. Specifically, with worse parent -child relationships, victimization of violence, violence, approval of violence, physical health problems, mental health problems, substance use, poor academic performance, reduced linguistic skills, reduced executive function, general behavioral, reduced social and social problems.
On the contrary, they found no effect on cognitive skills, motor skills and the possibility of child labor. However, it is noteworthy that The study did not find any positive effects related to corporal punishment.
In 2006, the Secretary -General of the United Nations had called for a ban on corporal punishment for children. To date, 65 countries worldwide, mostly high -income, have established complete or some bans of this practice.