Early Childhood Professionals’ Recommendations for Spanking Young Children

The current study describes what professionals involved in the care of young children recommend with regard to spanking and other disciplinary techniques. Relationships between corporal punishment and multiple negative child outcomes are detailed, with emphasis on physical child abuse. Ninety-eight participants, including medical professionals, residents, mental health professionals, child development specialists, and early childhood service coordinators, were asked to report how often they recommended spanking within the past year. Twenty percent of pediatricians and approximately one third of mental health professionals and early childhood professionals recommended spanking at least once in the past year to parents of children age 5 years or younger. Implications for further research about the context of such recommendations as well as improved education for professionals are discussed.