Abstract
School corporal punishment (SCP) is still widely used in many countries. Although primary studies have pointed toward detrimental effects of SCP, a quantitative review of these studies was not yet available. To gain better insight into effects of SCP, three meta-analyses were conducted on the association between SCP and children’s (1) externalizing behavior, (2) internalizing behavior, and (3) school performance. These meta-analyses synthesized 21 studies (120 effect sizes; N = 67,400), 14 studies (18 effect sizes; N = 39,917), and 20 studies (47 effect sizes; N = 977,367), respectively. Studies were synthesized using a three-level approach to meta-analysis. The results revealed that SCP is positively associated with externalizing behavior (r = 0.27, p < 0.001) and internalizing behavior of children (r = 0.16, p < 0.001), and negatively with children’s school performance (r = −0.11, p < 0.001). This review concludes that SCP is a risk factor for externalizing behavior, internalizing behavior, and reduced school performance of children. Other techniques than SCP should be used for class management, and we recommend psychoeducational programs for schools and the wider community in which corporal punishment is still used. These programs should convey the detrimental effects of SCP and alternative discipline techniques. More awareness of the detrimental effects of SCP is needed to make the school environment a safe place for all children across the world.
Highlights
School corporal punishment (SCP) is widely used around the world for disciplining children [1]
The meta-analysis on externalizing behavior problems comprised 21 independent studies that reported on 120 effect sizes, and analyzed N = 67,400 participants
A significant and positive overall association was found between school corporal punishment and externalizing behavior problems, r = 0.27, 95% CI (0.23; 0.31), t(119) = 12.17, p < 0.001, indicating that more exposure to school corporal punishment is associated with more externalizing behavior problems
Summary
School corporal punishment (SCP) is widely used around the world for disciplining children [1]. Despite a shift towards the prohibition of corporal punishment in schools across many countries, it is still a lawful discipline strategy in 64 countries, including the Australian states of Queensland and Western Australia, and 19 states of the United States of America [2]. Even in countries where SCP is not allowed, prevalence studies show that SCP still occurs [3]. The primary goal of this study was to conduct a meta-analytic review of the associations between SCP and three child outcomes: internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and school performance. A second aim was to study how overall associations between SCP and these child outcomes are moderated by sample and study characteristics, such as sex of pupils, age of pupils, and the operationalization of SCP in primary studies
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