You have probably heard the expression, "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Do you agree with it? Perhaps you were spanked as a kid. Was it appropriate? Some people see spanking as an outdated method of punishment or even child abuse, while others view a swat on the bottom as a parent's prerogative. Where do we draw the line when it comes to disciplining our children?
John Rosemond criticizes research done by Murray Straus and says he is biased and an “ersatz” researcher. Rosemond holds up Robert Larzelere as an example of an unbiased researcher. Larzelere often writes articles and gives lectures in this country and others criticizing research showing corporal punishment is harmful.
Larzelere is at the University of Oklahoma, Stillwater. He was previously associated with the Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola (formerly the Bible Institute of Los Angeles). Biola’s academic journal (Journal of Psychology and Theology) requires that all papers be “consistent with an evangelical position.” Larzelere has published in this journal. It seems unlikely that he is ideologically unbiased.
John Rosemond purports that violence of youth is increasing. That is untrue. Youth violence has been dropping for years. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, youth violence has declined significantly nationwide since the early l990’s according to downward trends in arrest records, in data re: victimization and hospital records from emergency rooms. Rosemond can’t make a case for blaming the downward trend in spanking on increasing youth violence. Spanking use is going down and so is youth violence.
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