Considered as ordinary educational violence by law, spanking would not only have physical consequences according to a study.
The education of children varies according to many criteria. When a child has a temper tantrum or does something silly, parents react differently. They can put the children in the corner or in their room. Sometimes people yell at them to vent their anger. But others don’t hesitate to use spanking.
Nevertheless, spanking is now once morest the law. Indeed, it has been considered since July 2019 as “ordinary educational violence” prohibited. This violence can lead to a trial before the juvenile judge. However, there is no actual sanction for spanking.
In fact, it happens that some parents punish kids in this way. But this punishment is not without consequences. In addition to the physical impact, spanking would have an impact on the development of depression and anxiety. This is revealed by an American study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.
Adolescents more depressed or more anxious if they experienced corporal punishment during childhood
This study was conducted in the United States, where spanking is still legal. To determine the impact of this corporal punishment over time, the researchers called on a group of volunteer teenagers. In total, the study brought together 149 teenagers aged 11 to 14.
For 2 years, the researchers observed their evolution and more specifically that of their mental health. They analyzed their daily behavior but also their brain activity via electroencephalography. However, they made an astonishing and invisible observation until then.
Indeed, they noticed that the more depressed or more anxious teenagers had suffered corporal punishment, including spanking. More specifically, they found in the brains of the teenagers concerned an impact on the neural network. Spanking would accentuate the focus on the mistakes made. However, it would also influence the development of depression.
What alternatives to not having recourse to spanking?
At a time when more than one out of two teenagers in France is anxious, it is therefore essential to act from childhood. In France, punishments and discussion are increasingly advocated by parents. However, legislation contributes to this effort.
There are still many other countries in the world where spanking and other corporal punishment is still permitted. This study is a step forward in convincing nations to put an end to the use of this “ordinary educational violence”.