Smacking children does not improve their behaviour and may actually increase behavioural difficulties, a new study has claimed.
Researchers from University College London (UCL) analysed 20 years of research on physical punishment by looking at 69 global studies.
They followed children over time and assessed data on smacking, finding that approximately 250 million children around the world are subject to physical punishment.
The study came to the conclusion that smacking does not improve behaviour and can in fact make things worse.
Lead author Dr Anja Heilmann, from UCL’s Department of Epidemiology, said: “Physical punishment is ineffective and harmful, and has no benefits for children and their families. This could not be clearer from the evidence we present.
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“We see a definitive link between physical punishment and behavioural problems such as aggression and antisocial behaviour.
“Even more worrying are findings that children who are the recipients of physical…
