Physical punishment leads to exclusively negative results for children in low and intermediate income countries: study

Physically punishing children in low and intermediate income countries (LMIC) have exclusively negative results, in particular poor health, low school performance and alteration in socio -emotional development – with results similar to richer studies, finds an analysis published in Nature Human behavior.

In 2006, the United Nations Secretary General called for the prohibition of body punishment – physical force acts to impose pain that includes strikes, tremors and buttocks – for children.

To date, 65 countries around the world have instituted complete or partial prohibitions of the practice. Most of the prohibitions have been established in high -income countries (having a gross national income of at least $ 14,000 per capita) reinforced by the UN appeal, and research finding prejudicial results in richer countries.

“Some researchers have suggested that physical punishment could have different effects in countries where it is more widespread or socially normative, a perspective known as the cultural normativity hypothesis”, explains the main author Jorge Cuartas, assistant professor of applied psychology at the school of culture, education and human development of Nyu Steinhardt.

“However, the lack of data from low and average income countries has made it difficult to understand the balance between universal and specific damage to the context of physical punishment during childhood.”

Researchers analyzed 195 studies linked to body punishment published between 2002 and 2024. Studies covered 92 LMIC and 19 results related to parent-child relationships, mental and physical health, violent behavior, attitudes to violence, consumption of substances, cognitive function, emotional social skills, motor skills and the meaning of the child.

They found that physical sanctions were significantly associated with negative consequences in 16 of the 19 results: parental-child-child relationships, being victims of violence, perpetrating violence (including violence between intimate partners in adulthood), approving violence, physical health problems, mental health problems, consumption of substances, academic problems, related skills), exteriorization behaviors (For example, aggression and destruction), the alteration of early childhood development and the quality of sleep.

They found no impact on cognitive skills, motor skills and child labor. In particular, the study found no positive result associated with body punishment.

“Coherence and the strength of these results suggest that physical punishment is universally harmful to children and adolescents. In the future, additional research is necessary to identify effective strategies to prevent physical punishment worldwide and ensure that children are protected from all forms of violence to support their healthy development,” said Cuartas.