Peterson: Spanking, what is it good for?

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adrian_peterson_roster.1341685332The beating Adrian Peterson gave his four year old, as depicted in the photographs, shocked most of the world.  Me included. In statements released to the public, Peterson seems remorseful about hitting his kid in the scrotum with the stick, but not about causing the bruises or shoving leaves in the boy’s mouth.  What has been more shocking is the amount of people supporting the use of corporal punishment and Peterson’s statement that he would continue to administer “whooping” his kids.

Peterson has his supporters.  A common theme among those coming out in support of corporal punishment is that they had received similar treatment as a kid and that it was tough love that made them who they are today.

Arizona Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett tweeted: “I got a ass whippn at 5 with a switch that’s lasted about 40mins and couldn’t sit for 2days. It’s was all love though,”

New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram Jr. tweeted: “When I was kid I got so many whoopins I can’t even count! I love both my parents they just wanted me to be the best human possible!”

On NFL Today, Charles Barkley said “Whipping—we do that all the time…every black parent in the South is going to in jail under those circumstances.”

Reggie Bush was on the Boomer and Carton radio show and he uttered the following: I was punished the same way. And I know a lot of my friends and a lot of the guys I played with, they were punished the same way, too…I got what we call whoopings.”  He added on Twitter: ” Let’s get one thing straight people, I believe in disciplining a child period! I believe in spanking a child (IF NEEDED) NOT beating them!”

They aren’t alone.  While twenty-four countries (including Sweden, Germany, Spain) have banned physical punishment, even in the home, a large percentage of American’s still believe in this form of discipline.  Studies show that over 60% of families use physical punishment to discipline children.

Let’s get past the justification of “my parents did it.”  You know what my parents did? They sent me to buy cigarettes.  Dad smoked in the car.  My wife’s mother smoked while she was pregnant.  We drove without seatbelts. They were all wrong at the time, but they didn’t know any better.  However, we evolved.  We should become educated as a civilization and improve from generation to generation.  At least that how I think things are supposed to go.  Simply doing things in the past is not a justification for their continuation i.e. slavery, segregation, not allowing women to vote.

What have we learned since the last generation?

A 2009 article in the Journal of Aggression and Maltreatment & Trauma found that children who were spanked tend to have lower I.Q.  Granted, that study only looked at 1500 kids so you can take for what it’s worth.

A 2008 report on physical punishment in the United States by leading researcher Elizabeth Gershoff (University of Texas) indicated that research shows physical punishment is associated with an increase in delinquency, antisocial behavior, and aggression in children.  The study also found that adults subjected to physical punishment as children are more likely to abuse their own child or spouse and to manifest criminal behavior.  Gershoff also found that hitting a child elicits the feelings of distress, anger, fear, shame and disgust.

In Red, White & Bruises: Spanking in the U.S.A., Stephen Bavolek found that children who have been repeatedly hit or threatened tend to have the following qualities:

  • low self worth
  • fear adults
  • feel unloved and unwanted
  • anxiety
  • seek revenge against others
  • tend to be more aggressive
  • learn hitting is a way to deal with anger and frustration

Charles Barkley pretty much said every black parent in the South spanks/whips their kids as a form of discipline.  How’s that working out? Below are the states with the highest incarceration rates:

1. Louisiana — 1,138 per 100,000
2. Georgia — 1,021
3. Texas — 976
4. Mississippi — 955
5. Oklahoma — 919
6. Alabama — 890
7. Florida — 835
8. South Carolina — 830
9. Delaware — 820
10. Arizona — 808

Seven of the top ten incarcerating states are in the South.  Obviously, the spanking in the South isn’t working in teaching children right from wrong or providing efficient coping skills to deal with anger and frustration.

A lot of the athletes supporting Peterson, and Peterson himself, seem to believe that the spankings they received as a kid played a large role in making them who they are today.

I’m no psychologist, but that seems like a bit of low self esteem—perhaps caused by the spankings.  They became who they are because of love and support from family members, but also because they are special individuals.  They work hard.  They practice.  They spent time in the weight room.  They had determination (Hell, I quit high school basketball because I hated the weight training and Mom would slap me every now and then…didn’t help). I tend to think these athletes would’ve been special without the spankings.  They were dedicated, driven and not by “whoopings.”  There are a whole lot of kids being spanked in the south and elsewhere that aren’t going to be professional athletes because of it.

While time-outs have their critics, I know that the Minnesota Vikings, their fans, and fantasy football owners who drafted Peterson wish Peterson would’ve just put his kid in time-out.  If he did, the Vikings wouldn’t have had to put Peterson in his own time-out. Truth be told, he’s only in time-out because the sponsors started pulling endorsements.