title: Correlates and consequences of spanking and verbal punishment for low-income white, african american, and mexican american toddlers.
abstract: This study examined the prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of spanking and verbal punishment in 2,573 low-income White, African American, and Mexican American toddlers at ages 1, 2, and 3. Both spanking and verbal punishment varied by maternal race/ethnicity. Child fussiness at age 1 predicted spanking and verbal punishment at all 3 ages. Cross-lagged path analyses indicated that spanking (but not verbal punishment) at age 1 predicted child aggressive behavior problems at age 2 and lower Bayley mental development scores at age 3. Neither child aggressive behavior problems nor Bayley scores predicted later spanking or verbal punishment. In some instances, maternal race/ethnicity and/or emotional responsiveness moderated the effects of spanking and verbal punishment on child outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. ljberlin@duke.edu
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Berlin
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ispa
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fine
authors.forename: Patrick S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brooks-Gunn
authors.forename: Christy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brady-Smith
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ayoub
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000208:ethnology; D002657:Child Development; D002668:Child Rearing / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011678:Punishment / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data