Spanking Has Negative Effect on Intelligence

Research States Corporal Punishment Stunts I.Q.

© Barbara Pytel

Oct 5, 2009

Murray Straus, a sociologist, and Mallie Paschall from the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley, California, led a research study that shows spanking lowers a child’s IQ.

Corporal Punishment by Parents

Spare the rod and spoil the child is often stated by parents to justify spanking. But, could spanking actually be damaging to a child’s ability to learn? New research says yes, it could.

Spanking that leaves a mark may be considered physical child abuse in many states and could result in a parent losing parental rights and even going to jail. But, spanking may also affect children in their ability to learn in school. Murray Straus, leader of the recent University of New Hampshire in Durham study, says, "The practical side of this is that pediatricians and child psychologists need to start doing what none of them do now, and say, ‘Never spank under any circumstances.’" [1]

Spanked Children Have Less Gray Matter

While several studies in the past have alluded to the fact that spanking may reduce intelligence, this new study proclaims it as fact. Spanking creates stress, anxiety and fear and this can slow a child’s cognitive development. It can actually result in fewer neurons in the brain.

The New Hampshire study examined children over a four-year period and divided them into two age groups: 2 to 4 years old and 5 to 9 years old. This was to measure the damage based on age because some psychologists state that spanking does no damage when children are younger. IQ tests were administered as a pretest.

The mothers were questioned on how often they spanked their children. It was revealed that 93% of mothers had spanked younger children once or more per week. 58% had spanked toddlers three or more times a week. A large portion of mothers spanked older children less.

Four years later, the IQ test was administered again. Younger children that had never been spanked scored 5.5 points higher than their spanked peers. In the older age group, the unspanked gained an average of 2 IQ points over the spanked group. The conclusion was made that younger children suffer more damage when spanked.

"It is one of the cruel ironies that younger children are more at risk because their brain is in the most formative part of development," says Straus.

Cognitive Stimulation Is a Factor in Intelligence

The study had a strange twist to it. If a mother gives a child cognitive stimulation in addition to some spanking, the damage to the brain does not seem to be there. Straus says, "Let’s say you have a child that comes from educated parents, warm and supportive parents, who provide cognitive stimulation, and they spank: that kid’s going to be OK anyhow, [though] maybe not quite as OK [as the child would be] if they didn’t spank." [1]

Corporal Punishment by Schools

This now raises the issue of corporal punishment in schools. How can a school justify corporal punishment even with parental permission? Is school not the place for learning to take place? Why create an environment that causes stress, anxiety and fear which reduces the ability to learn?

Hopefully, psychologists and pediatricians will now change their stance on permitting spanking by parents. The evidence is now available to support the elimination of spanking.

Related article: Spanking and Deviate Behaviors

[1] Callaway, Ewen."Smacking Hits Kids’ IQ: Corporal Punishments Stunt Children’s Intelligence, Research Shows," abcnews.go.com, Sept. 27, 2009.

Spanking Damages a Child's Brain

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