Parental use of physical punishment in a birth cohort

To document the prevalence of child physical punishment by parents and associated predictors in the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS) birth cohort over a 15-year period.

A cohort of 1,265 CHDS individuals were followed from birth (1977) to age 40 years. At ages 25 (n=155), 30 (n=337), 35 (n=585) and 40 years (n=636), the cohort members with dependent children (<16 years of age) were interviewed about their use of child physical punishment in the past 12 months using the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale. Parent, child and family predictors were also examined.

The most common forms of physical punishment were smacking on bottom and slapping on hand, arm or leg. Rates of all forms of physical punishment declined with age, ranging from 77% reporting any physical punishment at age 25 to 42% at age 40. In multivariable models, significant predictors included parental age, numbers/ages of children in the household, childhood family socioeconomic status, parental history of adolescent mental health problems and concurrent intimate partner violence.

Use of physical punishment remains a relatively common form of child discipline despite the 2007 anti-smacking legislation and reduced public tolerance for physical violence towards children. Implications for prevention/intervention are discussed.