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Kid's Corporal Punishment - a Risk to Mental Health
Various sources*
A new study by the Australian Catholic University (ACU) has revealed that children who are smacked repeatedly by their parents are nearly twice as likely to develop anxiety and depression later in life.
The study of 8500 18 to 24 year olds found 61% experienced corporal punishment, as children, four or more times.
Females who were hit as kids were 1.8 times more likely to have a major depressive disorder, and 2.1 times to experience anxiety. Males were 1.7 times more likely to develop depression, and 1.6 times more likely to develop anxiety if they’d been smacked.
Professor Darryl Higgins, a lead researcher for the ACU study, believes it paints a clear picture that even infrequent exposure to corporal punishment puts children at risk of mental health disorders.
Professor Higgins is calling for smacking of children to be made illegal in Australia consistent with laws banning corporal punishment in 62 other countries.
According to the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, the evidence that corporal punishment is harmful to children, adults and societies is overwhelming:
*Sources:
Various sources*
A new study by the Australian Catholic University (ACU) has revealed that children who are smacked repeatedly by their parents are nearly twice as likely to develop anxiety and depression later in life.
The study of 8500 18 to 24 year olds found 61% experienced corporal punishment, as children, four or more times.
Females who were hit as kids were 1.8 times more likely to have a major depressive disorder, and 2.1 times to experience anxiety. Males were 1.7 times more likely to develop depression, and 1.6 times more likely to develop anxiety if they’d been smacked.
Professor Darryl Higgins, a lead researcher for the ACU study, believes it paints a clear picture that even infrequent exposure to corporal punishment puts children at risk of mental health disorders.
Professor Higgins is calling for smacking of children to be made illegal in Australia consistent with laws banning corporal punishment in 62 other countries.
According to the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, the evidence that corporal punishment is harmful to children, adults and societies is overwhelming:
“The more than 250 studies included in our review of research on the impact of and associations with corporal punishment show links between corporal punishment and a wide range of negative outcomes, including:
- direct physical harm
- negative impacts on mental and physical health
- poor moral internalisation and increased antisocial behaviour
- increased aggression in children
- increased violent and criminal behaviour in adults
- damaged education
- damaged family relationships
- increased acceptance and use of other forms of violence”
*Sources:
- Children who are smacked nearly twice as likely to develop mental health disorders later in life (9news.com.au)
- Childhood corporal punishment linked to lifelong mental health issues - ABC Melbourne
- Calls for Aussie parents to be banned from smacking their children | Daily Mail Online
- Shocking impact childhood smacking has on mental health (3aw.com.au)
- Research | Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (endcorporalpunishment.org)
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