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Physical Punishment and Mental Disorders: Results From a Nationally Representative US Sample
Tracie O. Afifi, PhDa,b,c, Natalie P. Mota, MAd, Patricia Dasiewicz, MScb, Harriet L. MacMillan, MD, FRCPCe, and Jitender Sareen, MD, FRCPCa,b,d
+ Author Affiliations
Departments of aCommunity Health Sciences,
bPsychiatry,
cFamily Social Sciences, and
dPsychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; and
eDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences and Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The use of physical punishment is controversial. Few studies have examined the relationship between physical punishment and a wide range of mental disorders in a nationally representative sample. The current research investigated the possible link between harsh physical punishment (ie, pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping, hitting) in the absence of more severe child maltreatment (ie, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, exposure to intimate partner violence) and Axis I and II mental disorders.
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CONCLUSIONS: 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.
Tracie O. Afifi, PhDa,b,c, Natalie P. Mota, MAd, Patricia Dasiewicz, MScb, Harriet L. MacMillan, MD, FRCPCe, and Jitender Sareen, MD, FRCPCa,b,d
+ Author Affiliations
Departments of aCommunity Health Sciences,
bPsychiatry,
cFamily Social Sciences, and
dPsychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; and
eDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences and Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The use of physical punishment is controversial. Few studies have examined the relationship between physical punishment and a wide range of mental disorders in a nationally representative sample. The current research investigated the possible link between harsh physical punishment (ie, pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping, hitting) in the absence of more severe child maltreatment (ie, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, exposure to intimate partner violence) and Axis I and II mental disorders.
snip
CONCLUSIONS: 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.
