Topic 99: Although it is generally prohibited, corporal punishment persists in many families. Do you think corporal punishment is an acceptable way to regulate children’s behaviours?

Physical

punishment

is of concern for many researchers. A subject of broad interest is how physical punishments link to the internal and external influences that a child may be exposed to. Either from studies or people’s experience, the use of corporal

punishment

can cause short and long term effects on a child’s personality, identity and

behaviour

.

Although

many parents attempt to control the intensity of physical

punishment

, their

behaviour

, in many instances, increases the likelihood of causing remediless harm to their children. The distinction between discipline and abuse is hardly clear-cut, and there is no assurance that parents can control their discipline properly. Physical injury seems to be an inevitable result in most cases.

For example

, spanks are widely accepted by many parents as a method of discipline, but, unfortunately, most parents hit harder when children recommit the offence. Injuries are

therefore

well-documented.

In addition

to physical harm, corporal

punishment

has been considered as the facilitator of many kinds of emotional harms.

For example

, children who are exposed to intense and frequent physical

punishment

are more likely than their peers to suffer depression, unhappiness, anxiety and feelings of hopelessness. The accumulative effects of these problems have a profound influence over most survivors of physical

punishment

. They lose courage to venture and have no desire for being creative individuals, as they only try things their parents permit them to do. There are

also

some other negative outcomes,

such

as behavioural problems. Corporal

punishment

is perhaps not the sole factor responsible for delinquent

behaviour

among children, but there is no denying that it increases children’s tendency to act out and attack their siblings, peers or even parents. It is particularly true when children receive physical

punishment

, intensely. Even worse, victims of physical

punishment

might use violence as one of the main parenting methods when they become parents. It is a vicious cycle. In conclusion, physical

punishment

can affect a child’s life forever. It is imperative that every parent controls the extent to which they physically punish their children in order to avoid any negative

behaviour

problems.