Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Unravelling the Parent-Child Contexts in Which Corporal Punishment Predicts Increases vs. Decreases in Children's
Kätlin Peets1, Ernest V E Hodges1, Eve Kikas2
1Department of Psychology, St. John's University.
Objective:
This study tested whether the longitudinal effects of mothers' and fathers' corporal punishment on children's aggression would vary depending on the context of the parent-child relationship (gender of the parent-child dyad, other parenting practices).
Method:
Participants were 325 children (Mage = 7.44 years, SD = .50) and their parents from Estonia who participated in a longitudinal study. Both mothers and fathers filled out measures of parenting practices in Grade 1 (corporal punishment, warmth, behavioral and psychological control). Teachers rated children's aggressive behavior in Grade 1 and 3.
Results:
We found that the effects of both mothers' and fathers' corporal punishment on changes in children's aggressive behavior were conditional. In contexts that were characterized by a lack of parental warmth or overuse of behavioral control, corporal punishment was associated with increases in aggression; in parent-child relationships with high levels of parental affection or low levels of behavioral control, it was unrelated to, or associated with, decreases in aggression. Some of these conditional effects were specific to the gender of the parent and the child.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that we should try to better understand the complexities of different parent-child relationships that magnify vs. minimize the negative consequences of corporal punishment.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Bullying
Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
Conduct Disorder
Aggression
Punishment
Punishment can be positive or negative. Positive punishment involves adding an undesirable stimulus, such as scolding, to decrease a behavior. Negative punishment involves removing a desirable stimulus, such as taking away a favorite toy, to decrease behavior....
Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings

