PARENTAL PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT: 
​CONSEQUENCES FOR CHILDREN

One important way to stem the tide of child maltreatment is to address parenting practices that place children at risk for abuse. Corporal punishment (also referred to as spanking) is used by the majority of U.S. parents and is associated with greater risk for child abuse. Dr. Lee's ongoing research examines parental spanking of young children, with a focus on understanding parent-child transactional links between parental spanking and the development of child aggressive behavior. Results of these studies suggest that reducing parental corporal punishment is a promising approach to prevent child maltreatment and physical abuse. 

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PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Shawna J. Lee

COLLABORATORS

Inna Altschul, Elizabeth Gershoff, Catherine Taylor, Andrew Grogan-Kaylor, Kaitlin Ward, & Garrett Pace

RELATED PUBLICATIONS
​AND PRESENTATIONS

• Ma, J., Lee, S.J., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (2021). Adverse childhood experiences and spanking have similar associations with early behavior problems. The Journal of Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.01.072
• Grogan-Kaylor, A., Ma, J., Lee, S.J., Castillo, B., *Ward, K., & Klein, S. (2018). Using Bayesian analysis to examine associations between spanking and child externalizing behavior across race and ethnic groups. Child Abuse & Neglect, 86, 257-266. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.10.009
• Ma, J., Grogan-Kaylor, A., & Lee, S.J. (2018). Associations of neighborhood disorganization and maternal spanking with children's aggression: A fixed-effects regression analysis. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 106-116. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.10.013 
• Grogan-Kaylor, A., Burlaka, V., Ma, J., Lee, S.J., Castillo, B., & Churakova, I. (2018). Predictors of parental use of corporal punishment in Ukraine. Children and Youth Services Review, 88, 66-73. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.03.003
• Lee, S.J. (2018, March). Having the conversation about hitting: Incidence, effects, and alternatives to physical punishment. Invited webinar given for Child Abuse Prevention Month for the National Child Abuse and Neglect Technical Assistance and Strategic Dissemination Center (CANTASD), Children’s Bureau, Office of Child Abuse & Neglect, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Taylor, C.A., Fleckman, J.A., & Lee, S.J. (2017). Attitudes, beliefs, and perceived norms about corporal punishment and related training needs among members of the "American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children". Child Abuse & Neglect, 71, 56-68. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.04.009
• Gershoff, E.T., Lee, S.J., & Durrant, J. (2017). Promising intervention strategies to reduce parents’ use of spanking and physical punishment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 71, 9-23.  doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.01.017
• Afifi, T.O., Ford, D., Gershoff, E.T., Merrick, M., Ports, K., Grogan-Kaylor, A., MacMillan, H., Holden, G., Taylor, C.A., Lee, S.J., & Bennett, R.P. (2017). Spanking and adult mental health impairment: The case for the designation of spanking as an Adverse Childhood Experience. Child Abuse & Neglect, 71, 24-31. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.01.014
• Taylor, C.A., Al-Hiyari, R., Lee, S.J., Priebe, A., Guerrero, L.W., & Bales, A.E. (2016). Beliefs and ideologies linked with approval of corporal punishment: A content analysis of online comments. Health Education Research, 31, 563-575. doi:10.1093/her/cyw029. 
• Altschul, I., Lee, S.J., & Gershoff, E.T. (2016). Hugs, not hits: Warmth and spanking as predictors of child social competence. Journal of Marriage and Family, 78, 695-714. doi: 10.1111/jomf.12306
• Lee, S.J. & Altschul, I. (2015). Spanking of young children: Do immigrant and U.S.-born Hispanic parents differ? Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30, 475-498. doi: 10.1177/0886260514535098
• Lee, S.J., Altschul, I., & Gershoff, L. (2015). Wait until your father gets home? Fathers’ and mothers’ spanking and development of child aggression. Children and Youth Services Review, 52, 158-166. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.11.006
• Lee, S.J., Grogan-Kaylor, A., & Berger, L. (2014). Parental spanking of 1-year-old children and subsequent Child Protective Services involvement. Child Abuse & Neglect, 38, 875-883. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.01.018
• Lee, S.J., Taylor, C.A., Altschul, I., & Rice, J. (2013). Parental spanking and subsequent risk for child aggression in father-involved families of young children. Children and Youth Services Review, 35, 1476-1485. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.05.016
• Lee, S.J., Altschul, I., & Gershoff, E.T. (2013). Does warmth moderate longitudinal associations between maternal spanking and child aggression in early childhood? Developmental Psychology, 49, 2017-2028. doi: 10.1037/a0031630
• Lee, S.J., Perron, B.E., Taylor, C.A., & Guterman, N.B. (2011). Paternal psychosocial characteristics and corporal punishment of their 3-year old children. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 71-87. doi: 10.1177/0886260510362888
• Altschul, I., & Lee, S.J. (2011). Direct and mediated effects of nativity and other indicators of acculturation on Hispanic mothers’ use of physical aggression. Child Maltreatment, 16, 261-273. doi: 10.1177/1077559511421523
• Taylor, C.A., Lee, S.J., Guterman, N.B., & Rice, J. (2010). Use of spanking for 3 year-old children and associated intimate partner aggression or violence. Pediatrics, 126, 415-424. doi: 10.1542/peds.2010-0314
• 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, e1057-e1065. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-2678

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