1. Discipline and Punishment Erica Jordan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Applied Developmental Psychology The University of West Florida, Psychology

2. Discipline is…

3. Reciprocal Discipline

4. Punishment is…

6. Expiatory Punishment

7. The Hot Topic: Corporal Punishment  Any intentional infliction of pain in response to a child’s unwanted behavior or language  AKA: physical punishment, and physical discipline  Can range in frequency, severity, quickness of administration, and duration across childhood  Common forms  Slapping on the leg, arms, or rear (spanking)  Hitting with a hand or an object  Pinching  Washing mouth out with soap or making the child taste hot sauce as a punishment

8. Approval of CP  Majority of parents approve but approval rating has declined during the last few decades (Straus, 1996)  1968:  1994:  International Parenting Study analysis currently in progress  Even parents who do not approve of corporal punishment may use it at times

9. Prevalence of CP  Most children receive some form of corporal punishment at least once during childhood  In the United States (Straus & Stewart, 1999):  Infants prior to age 1:  Preschoolers:  Roughly half of 12 year old children  About 25% of children between the ages of 14 and 17

10. Variations by…  Gender of parent  Parents own experiences  Socioeconomic status  Race of parent  Religious beliefs of parents  Geographic location of parent  Number of children in the family  Age of child

11. The Controversy: What’s the Big Deal?  Many parents rely on corporal punishment  Belief that it is for child’s own good and not harmful  Belief that they received it and “turned out fine/OK”  Cite religious scripture and common sayings (spare the rod, spoil the child)  Research has found that CP is effective for achieving immediate compliance (Gershoff, 2002)  Research has also found that CP poses several threats to children’s development which has called its use into question (Gershoff, 2002)

12. An Overview of the Research Findings  Immediate compliance  Lower moral internalization  Greater aggression  Greater externalizing behavior problems  Greater risk of depression later in life  Greater risk of abuse of spouse or child  Greater risk of sexually deviant behavior

13. Regardless of the Research…  It is very unwise for professionals to recommend corporal punishment— you never really know who you are talking to  Many school settings and childcare settings prohibit CP  Even parents who do use CP would like to be aware of alternative strategies  There are some non-physical strategies that can also pose a threat to children

14. Strategies for Effective Guidance: Making Discipline Work  Be nurturing and responsive on a regular basis— stay connected  Begin with age-appropriate expectations! We all need a little grace at times  Promote positive behavior  Attempt to understand the child’s motivation—how are they conceptualizing the situation?  Value each child’s uniqueness

15.  Begin early  Encourage children to think and reason through a problematic situation  Be consistent! (But still be age-appropriate)  Recognize that nothing is effective all of the time—it’s a process

16. A Few Good Strategies  Redirection  Natural Consequences  Logical Consequences  Making and Enforcing Rules  Emotion Coaching  Problem Solving Discipline  Time Out with a Problem Solving Approach  Take a Parent’s Time Out

17. Redirection  Great for infants and toddlers, and good for older children, too!  Attempt to view the situation through the child’s eyes.  Simply help the child to focus their attention on something else.  Create an environment that enhances positive behavior.  Be a thinking parent and anticipate problematic situations when possible.

18. Natural Consequences  Parent does nothing and lets the situation teach the lesson.  The easiest option (well sometimes).  Do nothing. Let the consequence of the misbehavior teach the lesson.

19. Logical Consequences  Parental enforcement is required.  Do something, but make it related to the misbehavior.  Guide the child in making the situation right.  Include them in the discipline process. What do you think I should do in this situation? What do you think you should do in this situation?  Follow through with your discipline plan.

20. Make Rules and Enforce Them  Involve child in making rules.  Ask the following…  What are you doing? (Bring attention)  What is the rule? (Help them to remember and articulate)  Why do we have this rule? (Helps child to understand the reason for the rule)  What is the consequence for breaking the rule? (Reinforces that misbehavior has consequences)  Follow through with the consequence!

21. Emotion Coaching  Address the misbehavior.  Discuss the misbehavior with the child to determine the cause.  Focus on helping the child pinpoint his or her negative feelings.  Encourage the child to think of alternative ways to deal with those feelings.

22. Problem Solving Discipline  Discuss the misbehavior with the child.  Encourage the child to identify the problem.  Help the child to understand their misbehavior.  Encourage the child to generate alternative ways to deal with the problem in the future. The more possibilities that the child generates, the better.

23. Time Out: A Better Way  Put the child in a designated area to think about what they did wrong and what they could have done differently.  Use an age appropriate timeline (about a minute for each year of age).  Before removing the child from time out, discuss how they misbehaved and what they could do next time.

24. Take a Time Out for Yourself  If you are feeling overwhelmed, ensure that the child is in a safe place and take a break.  Use humor when appropriate.  Take care of yourself!  Spend positive time with your child.

25. Special Thanks  Dr. Mary Elizabeth Curtner-Smith Associate Professor, University of Alabama Department of Human Development and Family Studies/Department of Psychology

26. Further Reading “Hands-On”Applied Sources  The Discipline Book by William Sears, M.D., and Martha Sears, R.N.  www.askdrsears.com www.askdrsears.com  Parenting Assistance Line: www.pal.ua.eduwww.pal.ua.edu  Attachment Parenting International: www.attachmentparenting.org www.attachmentparenting.org  Families Count: www.familiescount.netwww.familiescount.net  Raising a Thinking Child: Help Your Young Child to Resolve Everyday Conflicts and Get Along with Others by Myrna Shure & Theresa DiGeronimo

27. Research Articles and Sources  Beating the Devil Out of Them by Murray A. Straus, Ph.D.  Gershoff, E. T. (2002). Corporal punishment by parents and associated child behaviors an experiences: A meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 128(4), 539-579.  Smith, A. B. (2004). What do children learn from being smacked: Messages from social science theory and research. Childrenz Issues, 8(2), 7-15.

28.  Straus, M. A., & Stewart, J. H. (1999). Corporal punishment by American parents: National dataon prevalence, chronicity, severity, and duration, in relation to child and familycharacteristics. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 2, 55-70.  Mulvaney, M. K., & Mebert, C. J. (2010). Stress appraisal and attitudes towards corporalpunishment as intervening processes between corporal punishment and subsequentmental health. Journal of Family Violence, 25, 401-412.