Smacks hurt school results

By STUART DYE, education reporter

Smacking young children not only causes anti-social behaviour, but impairs academic achievement, according to a research review from Otago University.

Physical punishment of children has often been cited by children's rights advocates as a catalyst for bad behaviour in later life.

But the new study, from the university's Children's Issues Centre, said smacking was also associated with poor academic achievement, low IQ, inferior performance in standard tests and poor adjustment to the school environment.

Researchers surveyed more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, published at home and abroad in their investigation.

Lead researcher Professor Anne Smith said the study found physical punishment had only limited success in making children compliant. The long-term effects of physical punishment were all negative, she said.

A Maxim Institute study, released in the Herald early this week, revealed that parents worried more about discipline in schools than academic achievement.

Teachers and principals' groups have hit back, saying the responsibility for discipline lies with parents in the home. But parents are often walking a tight-rope, according to the Otago research.

Professor Smith said one of the problems highlighted by the review was the lack of agreement over when physical punishment crossed the line and became abuse.

"The literature is quite consistent in supporting the conclusion that there is an association between the use of parental corporal punishment and the development of antisocial behaviour in children," she said.

The report, commissioned by the Office of the Children's Commissioner, suggested six principles of effective discipline:

* Parental warmth and involvement and attentive, caring and affectionate relationships.

* Clear communication and messages to children, which are age-appropriate, about why their behaviour is acceptable or not.

* Use of reasoning, explanation, setting up logical consequences and limit setting.

* Providing fair, reasonable and clearly defined rules, boundaries and expectations for behaviour.

* Consistently following behaviours with rewards or consequences, with non-physical punishments such as time out.

* Structuring situations to avoid encouraging inappropriate behaviour.

Late last month the Government abandoned plans to repeal section 59 of the Crimes Act, which allows parents to use reasonable force to discipline their children, including smacking.

Instead, Social Services Minister Steve Maharey unveiled a $10 million, three-year anti-smacking campaign.

The Otago research said effects of physical punishment included:

* Aggression, disruptive, delinquent and antisocial behaviour.

* Poorer academic achievement and lower self-esteem.

* Diminished quality of parent-child relationships.

* Depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and psychiatric disorders.

* Poorer conscience development and less internal control by children over their own behaviour.

Children's Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro said the research found that an authoritative and firm parenting style, accompanied by warmth, responsiveness, involvement and reasoning, was associated with children's healthy social adjustment.

But Christian Heritage NZ leader Ewen McQueen questioned the quality of the review. Research he was aware of showed positive outcomes where appropriate physical discipline was used.

"Rebuilding parental commitment into our culture will provide the security our children urgently need - not an ongoing campaign to demonise smacking," said Mr McQueen.

The research findings will be released at a seminar on the use of physical punishment this month.