Timeoutextrachoresandtakingawayprivilegesaremoreusefulformsofdisciplining(惩戒)naughtychildrenthanspankingorhittingaccordingtoastudyonWednesday.About94percentofparentsusesomeformofphysicalpunishment

　　Timeoutextrachoresandtakingawayprivilegesaremoreusefulformsofdisciplining(惩戒)naughtychildrenthanspankingorhittingaccordingtoastudyonWednesday.

　　About94percentofparentsusesomeformofphysicalpunishmenttoteachtheirtwo-year-oldsrightfromwrongaccordingtoresearchstudies.Butpsychologistssayitcouldleadtolateremotionalandbehavioralproblems.

　　Evenchildrenwhowereonlyspankedsomeoftimearemorelikelytoshowsignsofsadnessorhavelessconfidence.

　　“Thekeyistobefairanddothesamethingeachtime.Doingsomethinglikehittingachildthatseemscruelatbestdoesn’thelpandcanputachildatriskforproblems”saidDrPaulFrickoftheUniversityofNewOrleansinLouisians.

　　“Itisbettertouseotherpunishments”headded.

　　Theuseofphysicalpunishmenttoteachchildrenhaslongbeendebated.IncountriessuchasAustriaFinlandGermanyandSwedenitisillegaltousephysicalpunishmentathomeorinschools.

　　Frickandhisteamwhostudiedtheeffectsofphysicalpunishmenton98childrensaidtheycouldn’tfindanypositiveeffects.Somechildrenlearnedmorefromthehittingthanwhattheparentwastryingtoteachthem.

　　“Thekeyistohavealotofdifferentformsofpunishmentdependingontheageofthechild”saidFrickwhoreportedhisfindingsintheJournalofAppliedChildPsychology.

　　Herecommendedtimeoutforyoungerchildrenandtakingawaytelevisionandelectronictoysforolderchildren.Givingextrachorescanalsogetthemessageacross.

　　Othermeasuresareatleastaseffectiveasphysicalpunishmentandhavelessharmfulpotentialconsequences.

　　Theresearcherskeptchildrenwhomtheythoughtwereatriskoflaterconductproblemsoutofthetestandanequalnumberofotherchildrenwhoactedasacontrolgrouptostudywhatmeasureswouldbemosthelpful.

　　Theyquestionedtheparentsandthechildrenaboutpositiveandnegativeparentingbehaviorincludingtheuseofphysicalpunishment.

　　“Wegotitfrombothviewpoints”saidFrick.

　　Headdedthatchildrenonthereceivingendofahitcanlearnthatwhentheyareupsetandangrytheyhitratherthanunderstandingtheirbehaviorwaswrongandthattheyneedtodobetter.