Spanking—defined as using physical force to control a child’s behavior by inflicting pain, but not injury—can have profound effects on a child later in life, say University of Michigan researchers. Surveying records of 8,300 people that visited outpatient clinics for routine health problems, they found that the 55 percent of those that reported being spanked as children had higher incidences of depression, suicide attempts, drinking and drug use. The finding
is in line with previous studies showing that childhood trauma, abuse and neglect can have long-term health effects.

This article appears in the September 2018 issue of Natural Awakenings.