Physical punishment actually worsens children’s behaviour, finds Lancet study

Using physical punishment to discipline your children does not improve their behaviour and may actually be making matters worse, finds a study published in The Lancet journal.

An international expert panel led by University College London looked at 69 studies worldwide that followed children over time and analysed data on physical punishment, like slapping or smacking, and a range of different outcomes.

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All the studies confirmed that physical punishment is ineffective and harmful and has no benefits for children and their families. In fact, it may even lead to behavioural problems such as aggression and antisocial behaviour, finds the team. Moreover, these detrimental outcomes from physical punishment occurred irrespective of the child’s sex, ethnicity, or the overall parenting styles of the caregivers.

The team also noted that even today, 63 per cent of children between the ages of two and four, approximately 250 million children globally, are regularly subjected to physical punishment by their caregivers.

As per UNICEF data, children living in 73 countries do not have legal protection from this form of violence while at school, including India where corporal punishment is only partially prohibited.

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