Study finds link between spanking, mental health issues

Donna Mihalik threatens to send her son, Aiden, 3, to his room. The Mihalik family appeared on the ABC show ‘Supernanny’ in 2006. (file photo)

The findings, published in Pediatrics today, highlighted the long-term effects on children who are slapped, smacked or spanked.

Harsh physical punishment in the absence of child maltreatment is associated with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance abuse/dependence and personality disorders in a general population sample. These findings inform the ongoing debate around the use of physical punishment and provide evidence that harsh physical punishment independent of child maltreatment is related to mental disorders.

The report says the “American Academy of Pediatrics strongly opposes striking a child for any reason,” but the results of the study make it even more imperative that doctors discourage this type of punishment.

Here is a look at the study’s findings by the numbers, which were highlighted in the Los Angeles Times.

Adults who were physically reprimanded as children are:

1. 5.2 percent more likely to develop mania
2. 3.4 percent more likely to develop alcohol abuse or dependence
3. 3 percent more likely to develop drug abuse or dependence
4. 7.2 percent more likely to be diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorders
5. 5.5 percent more likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder
6. 4.7 percent more likely to be diagnosed with a narcissistic personality
7. 4.6 percent more likely to have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder

The study recommends using alternate methods of discipline, including positive reinforcement. Researchers believe this could lead to a decrease of mental disorders and substance dependence in the general population.

Read the full study here.