This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Jacques, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Jacques, R.
Related Collections
Right arrow Socioeconomic determinants of health
Right arrow Other evidence-based medicine
Right arrow Personality disorders
Right arrow Abuse (child, partner, elder)
Right arrow Anxiety disorders (including OCD and PTSD)
CMAJ • March 21, 2000; 162 (6)
© 2000 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors

Letters
Correspondance

Heat and light in the childhood spanking debate

Raymond Jacques

Family physician; Sudbury, Ont.

I propose that the emotional, social and coping difficulties of adults who were spanked as children1 have a genetic and environmental cause. These people may have shown behavioural or emotional disturbances early in life and their parent(s), not knowing what else to do, may have resorted to spanking in an attempt to instill acceptable behaviour. Another, more likely, scenario is that the parents themselves had emotional or social problems and they resorted to spanking inappropriately. They may have been incapable of showing the proper love and caring that a child needs to develop a sense of emotional security. A loving and emotionally mature parent who has a "normal" child will not need to resort to ongoing, inappropriate spanking.

Reference

  1. MacMilian HL, Boyle MH, Wong MYY, Duku EK, Fleming JE, Walsh CA. Slapping and spanking in childhood and its association with lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a general population sample. CMAJ 1999; 161(7):805-9.[Abstract/Free Full Text]




This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Jacques, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Jacques, R.
Related Collections
Right arrow Socioeconomic determinants of health
Right arrow Other evidence-based medicine
Right arrow Personality disorders
Right arrow Abuse (child, partner, elder)
Right arrow Anxiety disorders (including OCD and PTSD)