Children's and adults' attitudes towards parents smacking their children

Australian children's interests groups are campaigning for legislation to prohibit adults from using physical punishment with children. In this study, 100 South Australian children, early childhood university students and parents were questioned about their personal experiences of physical punishment in childhood. All three groups had strong negative recollections of being smacked. All of the adult subjects agreed that physical violence is damaging to children's psychological development and they knew that smacking is banned in South Australian state schools and pre-schools. Nevertheless a significant number (79%) used physical punishment for disciplining their own children. Furthermore, 80% of parents and early childhood education students opposed State legislation to ban hand-smacking and only 50% approved legislation to ban adults from hitting children with an implement. Although the university students had been taught and used positive child management techniques in schools and pre-schools, 65% said that they would smack their own children for ‘naughty’ behaviour. The study suggests that early learning (even learning of a negative nature) can take precedence over professionally gained knowledge and professional practice. Advocacy groups would be advised to press for community education encouraging the use of alternative child management techniques before introducing changes to legislation.