The New York Times (10/21, Bakalar) “Well” blog reports that, according to a study published online Oct. 21 in the journal Pediatrics, spanking kids may “increase the risk of bad behavior.” For the study, investigators “interviewed 1,933 parents when their children were three years old and again at five, asking whether and how often they were spanked.” When the youngsters were nine, they underwent evaluation as to how aggressive they were and how often they broke rules. After adjusting for confounding factors, the study authors “found that maternal spanking at age five was significantly associated with greater aggression and rule-breaking…at age nine.” Reuters (10/21, Pittman) also covers the story.
Related Links:
— “Spanking’s Link to Bad Behavior, “Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times, October 21, 2013.