Blog Post 37: Corporal Punishment and Type C Tendencies

We were troubled and dismayed to read that a school district in Missouri has reinstated spanking as a punishment for children. We sincerely hope that other districts do not follow suit.  

One damaging consequence of physical punishment is the development of detrimental rules in the child’s mind. With the threat of being hit, the rule will likely be a version of these: “I can’t upset anyone”, “I need to keep quiet even if I have something important to say”, or “I can’t question authority figures”. These rules lead to the development of Type C traits - children may begin to suppress emotions in unhealthy ways, avoid conflict at all costs, and become pathologically nice in response to the fear of upsetting anyone. Obviously, this is unproductive for society. We need our children to be emotionally healthy and be able to speak up. We need their voices to be strong so we can continue to change the world in positive ways. 

Abuse also causes attachment disorders. Children become very confused when the adults who are meant to protect them are scaring them and inflicting pain. They disassociate, putting them at risk for a lifetime of unhealthy relationships and potential substance abuse. Research has shown that abuse causes structural damage within the brain.  

Growing up in East Tennessee, I (Anna) both experienced and witnessed corporal punishment in elementary school. Young children were spanked out in the open, causing not only physical pain but deep shame and humiliation. Witnessing the abuse was almost as bad as experiencing it firsthand, at least for the sensitive among us. This was a big contributor to my own Type C tendencies. Hitting children is never the answer.