Spanking and the problem of externalization: an investigation of within-subject associations

First published: October 20, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13701

Commentary

This study investigates the effects of spanking on externalization at the between-subjects level and excludes between-subjects variance that is not causally related.

Results from two longitudinal studies using participants in the Child Development Project (n = 585) were reanalyzed in a random intercept cross-lagged panel model using annual measures at ages 6-8.

These results showed no significant effect of general spanking on externalization after removing between-subject variance. (β = .06, .07).

However, when done less than once a month without an object, spanking did have a beneficial effect (β = -.17, -.21).

This result is due to the failure of previous findings to isolate between-subject and within-subject variance, and is an indication that limited spanking needs to be examined separately from more general forms of corporal punishment.