Spanking Study

By Health Day

Story Created: Jul 2, 2012

Story Updated: Jul 3, 2012

Now, add mental illness to that long list.

A new Canadian study, just published in the journal Pediatrics, examines the relationship between physical punishment and a wide range of mental disorders.

The team used data from a U.S. survey done from 2004 to 2005.

Harsh physical punishment such as pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping or hitting was associated with increased odds of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, and several personality disorders.

Researchers found 2 percent to 7 percent of mental disorders were attributable to harsh physical punishment.

Banned in some countries, studies show that spanking has declined in the United States since the 1970s. However, many parents still believe it's an acceptable form of punishment.

A 2010 study revealed that nearly 80 percent of preschool children in the United States are spanked.

I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news from today that can lead to health tomorrows.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 250 Characters Left

WNCF and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. Comments are posted on site immediately and without station moderation. If you feel a comment is inappropriate you may flag it for review. For guidelines on flagging comments see our Terms & Conditions. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Most Popular

On Demand

More On Demand