• Home
  • Common Issues
    • Mood
      • Depression
      • Anxiety
      • Panic
      • Social Anxiety
    • Relationships
      • Couples Counseling
      • Physical Intimacy Issues
      • Finding the Right Relationship
      • Family Issues
    • Coaching
      • Career
      • Life Coaching
      • Weight Management & Fitness Coaching
    • Other
      • Medicare and Senior Issues
      • Child and Adolescent
      • Christian Counseling
      • Chronic Pain and Medical Issues
      • Medication Evaluation and Management
  • About Therapy
    • Session Formats
      • Individuals
      • Couples
      • Kids and Teens
      • Families
      • Canine Counseling
    • Therapy Styles
      • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • Family Systems (Psychodynamic)
      • Christian Counseling
      • Meditation and Mindfulness Training
      • Hypnosis Therapy Technique
    • FAQs
      • What is the difference between a psychologist and a counselor?
      • What is your confidentiality policy?
      • Does therapy really work?
      • How long will I need to be in therapy?
      • How often should I come?
      • How can I measure my progress in therapy?
      • What if I don’t share the same belief system or life circumstances as my therapist?
      • Can I use my insurance?
  • Inspiration
    • Articles
      • Blog
        • Practicing Vulnerability in Your Relationships

        • Using Distraction as an Avoidance of Emotion

        • Tips for Managing Daily Activities while Struggling with Depression

        • Friendships: How to manage your boundaries and enjoy them more!

        • Recognizing Burnout and the Importance of Work-Life Balance

    • Quotes
      • InstagramInstagram did not return a 200.
    • Videos
      • Videos
        • Understanding Guilt and How It Works

        • Sexual Dissatisfaction

  • Checklist
    • Adult ADHD Self-Evaluation
    • Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Bipolarism Self-Evaluation
    • Depression Self-Evaluation
    • Panic Attack Self-Evaluation
    • Relationship Health Self-Evaluation
    • Social Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Sexual Dysfunction Self-Evaluation
  • About Us
    • Whole Life Philosophy
    • Staff
      • Heather Robbins, Ph.D., LP
      • James Robbins, MA., LPC
      • Leslie Scott, MS, LPC
      • Steve Reedy, MA, LPC, RMT, NMT
      • Breanna Katz-Estrada, MSW, LCSW
      • Emily McGlothlin, MS, LPC
      • Jon Johnston, MA, LPC
      • Kelly Kay Wynn, MS, MSW, LCSW
      • Marilyn Powell, Ph.D.
      • Diane Williams, MSW, LCSW
    • News
    • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Rates
    • Insurance
      • Fees & Insurance
      • Medicare Part B
      • Blue Cross and Blue Shield
    • Location
    • Appointments
      • Schedule a Consultation
      • Scheduling Hours
      • Scheduling Policy
  • Social & Contact
    ‪(972) 755-0996

Dallas Whole Life Counseling

Licensed Psychologist and Therapists

Top 10 psychologists in Dallas, TX 2016 Top Counseling & Mental Health in Dallas

Schedule a Consult

Does Spanking Work?

October 3, 2016 by Ruth Okeefe

by James Robbins, M.A., LPC

Does Spanking Work

75% of Americans spank their children. But does it work?

Before I answer this question, let me pose another. Suppose you’re going to buy a new TV. What do you do first? You google it. You research different TVs. It’s a big purchase, and you’re not going to spend your money without doing a little groundwork.

Whether or not you believe in spanking, have you researched it? Have you read a single article about spanking? In this area, most people tend to do whatever their parents did. Think about that. You wouldn’t automatically buy the same TV as your parents, unless your parents happen to be TV experts. So why automatically adopt their parenting practices?

Google “does spanking work,” and you’ll see study after study telling you that it simply doesn’t. Spanking may modify your child’s behavior in the short term, but the long-term consequences of spanking are known to be negative. It increases aggression in children, can lead to social issues in adulthood, and strains the parent-child bond. Spanking creates fear, but it doesn’t facilitate learning. When a client tells me they were spanked as a child, I always ask them for what offense. Rarely do they remember why they got spanked–they just remember the spanking.

If spanking is so clearly ineffective, why do so many parents still do it?

Parents are extremely busy and stressed, and spanking is easier than more effective methods.

Suppose your child struggles with grades. The most effective tool is positive reinforcement. Praise and reward your child when she brings home an A. Negative reinforcement also works, if not as well. Give your child some version of “time out” or “grounding” when he brings home an unacceptable grade. These methods work, but they take time, consistency and patience.

Parents spank for “philosophical” reasons.

It’s the idea that not spanking leads to “spoiling,” although this has been disproven again and again in decades of study. You want your child to learn critical thinking skills. You want her, as an adult, to analyze the best available data before drawing a conclusion. But in spanking your children, you are unintentionally sending this message: It’s important to carry forward certain family patterns, even when they’ve been shown to be harmful.

 

James Robbin | Dallas Whole LifeAbout the Author: James Robbins is a licensed professional counselor, published author and co-owner of Dallas Whole Life Counseling. He has over 15 years of experience helping people in various life stages that come from a wide variety of cultural, economic and family backgrounds. Learn more about his background by clicking here.

Filed Under: Articles, Blog, Education, Newsletter Tagged With: does spanking work, James Robbins, parenting, punishment, spanking

Search the Site

Latest Blog Posts

  • Practicing Vulnerability in Your Relationships
  • What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
  • Using Distraction as an Avoidance of Emotion
  • Tips for Managing Daily Activities while Struggling with Depression
  • Friendships: How to manage your boundaries and enjoy them more!

Contact Us

Admin Offices
Dallas Galleria Tower One
13355 Noel Road
Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75240

Virtual Sessions
Licensed phone and video sessions are available throughout Texas by appointment.

Phone & Email
‪(972) 755-0996‬
contact@dallaswholelife.com

Office Hours
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Common Issues

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Couples Counseling
  • Physical Intimacy Issues
  • Panic
  • Senior Issues
  • Child & Adolescent
  • Christian Counseling
  • Career Coaching
  • Life Coaching
  • Social Anxiety
  • EMDR
  • Family Issues
  • Grief Counseling
  • Weight & Fitness
  • Eating Disorders
  • Chronic Pain
  • Medical Issues

Office Hours

Main Office: (972) 755-0996
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Location

Dallas Galleria Tower One
13355 Noel Road, Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75240
*Licensed phone and video sessions available in Texas.

Follow Us

Contact Us

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Dallas Whole Life Counseling | 6380 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy., Suite 299 | Dallas, TX 75240 | (972) 755-0996Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved. Website by Rokkit Marketing.