Psychology of Childhood
In an article that Taylor et al. (2010) wrote, entitled “Mothers spanking of 3-year-old children and subsequent risk of children’s aggressive behavior,” there is an indication that proves of a direct link between corporal punishment and child aggression. Thus, Taylor et al, (2010) conducted a study that aims to examine the relationship between applying corporal punishments to 3-year-old children and the aggressive behavior found on those children. This is very important, since corporal punishment may also have some disadvantages to children, especially those who are 3 years old and below. It is important to know the association between corporal punishment and aggressive behavior, especially in the United States where 72 percent of adults agree that it is acceptable to spank a child (Taylor et al., 2010, p.e1058). It is important to know whether corporal punishment can lead to aggressive behavior of children who are not yet old enough or wise enough to understand older people.
The study was carried out using descriptive and bivariate statistical analyses with the use of longitudinal study, to test the association between corporal punishments to children, as well as, the aggressive behavior of these children. The study’s design was for the interviewee to answer the question on whether a mother’s use of corporal punishment at the time when the child is 3 years old, increased the risk of the child being more aggressive at 5 years old. The sample was obtained from Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study (FFCWS) (N = 4898) that came from the birth samples of hospitals of cities that had a population of more than 200,000 in 1994 (Taylor et al., 2010, p.e1058). There were also two interviews that were conducted when the child is 3 years old, as well as, when the child reaches 5 years old. Questions were focused on child aggression and the use of maltreatment towards children.
In the data collection, there are two variables that are being collected in the study. First is the predictor variable, which is specifically the mother’s use of corporal punishment. Second is the dependent variable, which is specifically the child’s aggression when he/she reaches the age of 5. The dependent variable is assessed using an index that is precisely the Child Behavior Checklist questioning the following: (1) The child argues a lot. (2) The child is cruel. (3) The child bullies. (4) The child shows meanness to others. (5) The child destroys things belonging to family members or others. (6) The child is disobedient at home. (7) The child is disobedient at school or in child care. (8) The child gets in many fights. (9) The child physically attacks people. (10) The child screams a lot. (11) The child teases a lot. (12) The child threatens people, or is unusually loud (Taylor et al., 2010, p.e1059). Meanwhile, descriptive and bivariate statistical analyses were used to examine the associations between mother’s use of corporal punishment and child’s aggression.
As for the results, it appears that almost one-half, or 46 percent, of the mothers who were assessed reported they do not use spanking in the previous month; about 30 percent reported they used spanking 1 or 2 times in the previous month; and about 27 percent reported they used spanking more than 2x in the previous month (Taylor et al., 2010, p.e1061). All of the demographic features and risk factors were found to be positively associated with corporal punishment, except parental relationship status and income. Meanwhile, higher corporal punishment was associated with increased maternal parenting risks. Mothers who had a male index child, or those who failed to reach tertiary education, were younger, black, and non-Catholic, were also at higher risks of using corporal punishment to their children. Mothers who were Catholic, foreign-born, or Hispanic tend to have lower-than-average risks of using corporal punishment to their children.
On the other hand, it is concluded that maternal parenting risks were directly associated with higher levels of child aggression. This includes physical and psychological maltreatment of the child, neglecting the child, the child being victim of intimate partner aggression or violence, parenting stress, major depression, use of drugs and alcohol, and plans of aborting the child (Taylor et al., 2010, p.e1061). Among these maternal parenting risks, it was highest to those who were victims of intimate partner aggression or those who experienced violence since the birth of the child (N = 53.2). It was also highest to children who were male (N = 51.9); children who were black (N = 50.7); and children who were Protestant (N = 39.9). Meanwhile, it was proven that children were at higher risks of experiencing corporal punishment at age of 3, so that by age of 5, the tendency for them experiencing corporal punishment surges by –49 percent (Taylor et al., 2010, p.e1062).
The research that Taylor et al. (2010) conducted holds a number of strengths. First, the topic of the study is one that is useful to both mothers and fathers, especially those who use corporal punishment to their children. Second, the study was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which reflected accuracy of the studies conducted. Third, there are as much as 2,461 mothers who participated in the research study, which gave stronger proof for the evidence. Fourth, the study does not have any bias on the characteristics of the participants, such as their gender, age, education, race/ethnicity, religion, citizenship, annual household income, or the status of marriage. Fifth and finally, there is consistency and dependability in the use of statistical analyses, as reflected in the tables that were uploaded.
On the other hand, there are also some weaknesses that can be found in the study that Taylor et al. (2010) conducted. First, it does not mention what the limitations are, which are found in their research study. Second, it does not reveal how corporal punishment can be destructive to a three-year-old child, or how it can lead to aggressive behavior in the latter years. Third, it did not specify what type of environment the participants came from, whether they came from a highly civilized society, or one that is not very civilized. Fourth, it considered only the maternal parenting risks without considering the parenting risks brought by the father, since fathers also have a big effect on the inducement of corporal punishment. Fifth and finally, the authors failed to mention that there are still other factors that can increase the risk of the child experiencing aggressive behavior, and not just the effect of the parent’s corporal punishment, as if putting the child and the mother solely in their own world.
When I was reading this research article of Taylor et al. (2010), I thought that it would have been inefficient to say that a child’s aggressive behavior is due to the mother’s corporal punishment at the time when the child is 3 years old. First of all, corporal punishment begins even before the child reaches 3 years old, and there are even instances when the child experience this at the time of infancy. Second, it is not just the mother who may use corporal punishment to the child but more so the father, especially in countries that had paternal family traditions. Third, the study of Taylor et al. (2010) seemed to put the child and the mother solely in their own world, without considering that there are more things, people, or events that can enhance the child to behaving in an aggressive manner when they reach 5. Finally, there is also the question on why Taylor et al. (2010) refers to 5-year-old children to be the age when they would act in a more aggressive manner, when there are other times that the child shows aggressiveness to people like, for example, the time of adolescence.
With all these questions, it is evident that there needs to be some further research done with the study that Taylor et al. (2010) conducted. They needed to include other things in their study, such as how corporal punishment can lead to aggressive behavior of the child, or as to what type of environment or history the participants came from. It would be better if the authors would clearly reveal the limitations of the study, and include other aspects that can increase the risk of mothers using corporal punishment to their children. This may include the environment, for example, or the events that take place within the community or even the entire country. Corporal punishment may be more dangerous at the time when a child is at 3 years of age. However, any word or action that is severe and harsh can increase the risk of the child’s aggressiveness, even if they are more than 5 years old. It would all depend on the parents’ ability to train the child without austerity, especially at 3 years old.
Reference:
Taylor, C.A., Manganello, J.A., Lee, S.J., & Rice, J.C. (2010). Mothers spanking of 3-year-old children and subsequent risk of children’s aggressive behavior. Pediatrics, 125(5), e1057-e1065. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-2678
