Source: USA Today
According to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, children that were spanked as a form of discipline were more likely to commit dating violence as adults.
While the findings also noted that other factors can contribute to dating violence, such as substance abuse and mental health issues, pediatricians advocate for other alternatives to spanking.
“Corporal punishment is communicating to children that violence is an acceptable means of changing behavior,” said Jeff Temple, the lead author of the study and researcher from the University of Texas Medical Branch.
“Not only is this an ineffective strategy for changing behavior or resolving conflict, our study and other research show that physical punishment negatively impacts the short and long-term health and behavior of children,” he added.
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