There are many factors that influence parents to spank their children. Studies have found that mothers are more likely to spank their children if they believe that spanking is useful and an effective child-rearing practice (Holden, Coleman, & Schmidt, 1995). Parents who were spanked as children are more prone to spank their own children. In 1994, 449 parents were surveyed to discover what types of physical and emotional punishment they had received during their childhood's. The study found that 93% of the respondents reported having been spanked and 87% approved of spanking their own children (Buntain-Ricklefs, Kemper, Bell, & Babonis, 1994). The child's behavior also effects the type of discipline that is used. If the child engages in an aggressive act or violates someone else's rights, they are more likely to get spanked (Holden, Coleman, & Schmidt, 1995).

Several studies have been conducted to discover who spanks the most. Researchers have found that lower-class families and middle-class families both spank their children. However, lower-class families tend to spank more frequently. Also, researchers have found that younger parents spank more often than older parents and mothers spank more often than fathers. The research on whether ethnic or racial differences effect the use of corporal punishment is contradictory. Some studies find that white parents are more likely to spank their children. Other studies find that black families are more likely to spank (Straus & Donnelly, 1994).

The National Family Survey that was conducted in 1985 researched how the age of the child effects the use of corporal punishment. The survey included children from birth through 17 years of age. The survey found that 90% of parents of three-year-old children used corporal punishment to discipline them. Toddlers are spanked more than older children. Several studies have found that boys are hit more often than girls. Straus and Donnelly suggest that boys are hit more often than girls because they misbehave more. Boys are generally more active. Also, many parents subtly encourage misbehavior by boys. Our culture expects boys to be toughened to prepare for adult roles. Girls are believed to be more easily injured. They are not expected to grow up to be tough and able to physically defend themselves (Straus & Donnelly, 1994).

Spanking negatively effects children in many ways. "Physical punishment trains children to deal with conflicts with physical violence" (Larzelere, 1986, p.28). In 1994, a study was conducted about children's aggressive behavior toward peers in kindergarten. The study found positive correlations between the rate of parental aggression toward the child and the rate of child aggression toward peers and caretaking adults. The study looked at reactive and bullying aggression. Reactive aggression was defined as an angry retaliatory reaction to an intentional or accidental act by a peer. Bullying aggression was defined as an unprovoked attack on a peer. Children who were spanked by mothers, compared to those who did not receive physical punishment, displayed higher rates of angry reactive aggressive behavior. Children who were spanked by fathers, compared to those who did not receive physical punishment, also displayed higher rates of angry reactive aggression toward peers. However, it was only boys who were spanked by father, compared to those who did not receive physical punishment, that displayed high rates of bulling aggression. There was a general hypothesis that there would be stronger correlations between parental behavior and boys aggression than between parental behavior and girls aggression. The hypothesis is based on past findings that boys are more likely than girls to react to exposure to aggression with their own aggression (Strassberg, Dodge, Pettit, & Bates, 1994).

Corporal punishment can also cause the child to have psychological problems when they become adults. Adults whose parents hit them as adolescents are more likely to be depressed than those whose parents did not. The more corporal punishment, the greater the chances of being depressed as an adult (Straus & Donnelly, 1994). "Depression often is a delayed response to the suppression of childhood anger... from being physically hit and hurt... by adults... whom the child loves and on whom he or she depends for nurturance and life itself ..." (Straus & Donnelly, 1994, p.69). Corporal punishment has also been associated with anxiety, withdrawal and impaired self concept (Rohner, Kean, & Cournoyer, 1991). The research does not declare who experiences more depression, thoughts of suicide, lowered self concept and anxiety. Therefore this study was conducted to see if these negative effects of being spanked as a child effect the genders differently.

Subjects

Materials

Procedure

I conducted a Chi-square test of independence to see if being slapped as a child (question six) effects the perceived frequency of parental affection and love (question one) between the male and female students. I found a significant effect for the female students (Chi-square (2) = 6.634, p<.05). I did not find a significant effect for the male students. Thus, females that were frequently slapped as a child reported less parental love and affection than females that were not frequently slapped.

I conducted a Chi-square test of independence to see if being slapped as a child (question six) effects the frequency of the students' anxiety (question five). I found a significant effect for the male students (Chi-square (2) = 12.667, p<.05). I did not find a significant effect for the female students. Thus, males that were frequently slapped as a child experienced more anxiety than male that were not frequently slapped.

I conducted a Chi-square test of independence to see if being spanked with an object (question nine) effects the amount of aggression that is shown towards family members (question eight). I found a non-significant trend for the male students (Chi-square (2) = 8.063, p = .089). I did not find a significant effect for the female students. Thus, it possible that males that are frequently spanked with an object are more likely to be aggressive towards their family members.

I conducted a Chi-square test of independence to see if being slapped as a child (question six) effects how often the participants have thoughts of suicide (question four). I found a non-significant trend for the female students (Chi-square (2) = 7.806, p = .099). I did not find a significant effect for the male students. Thus, it is possible that females that were frequently slapped as a child are likely to have more thoughts of suicide than females that were not frequently slapped as a child.

I used the Chi-square test of independence to compare question three (spanked on the bottom with an open hand) to question one (parental affection), question two (aggressiveness towards others), question four (thoughts of suicide), question five (anxiety), question seven (depression), question eight (aggressiveness towards family members) and question ten (committing violent crimes). I did not find any significant effects (Chi-squares respectively (2) = 1.898 (males) and .329 (females), 1.030 (males) and 2.927 (females), 4.001 (males) and 4.659 (females), 5.583 (males) and 4.012 (females), 4.640 (males) and 3.454 (females), 5.501 (males) and 6.661 (females) p.05).

I used the Chi-square test of independence to compare question six (slapped on the face) to question two (aggressiveness towards others), question seven (depression), question eight (aggressiveness towards family members) question ten (committing a violent crime). I did not find any significant effects (Chi-square respectively (2) = 2.382 (males) and 2.286 (females), 1.774 (males) and 2.139 (females), 6.173 (males) and 3.416 (females), 3.153 (males) and 0 (females) p>.05).

I used the Chi-square test of independence to compare question nine (spanked with an object) to question one (parental affection), question two (aggressiveness to others), question four (thoughts of suicide), question five (anxiety), question seven (depression), question eight (aggressiveness towards family members) and question ten (committing violent crimes). I did not find any significant effects (Chi-squares respectively (2) = 4.302 (males) and 3.143 (females), 4.030 (males) and 4.217 (females), 2.093 (males) and 4.663 (females), 4.355 (males) and 5.706 (females), 2.024 (males) and 2.536 (females), 8.063 (males) and 2.877 (females), .791 (males) and 0 (females) p>.05.