Punishing children physically is linked with parental anger and frustration, according to research carried out by paediatrician Kevin Borg together with Deborah Hodes.
In his review article on corporal punishment titled 'Spare the rod, spoil the child?' Borg said that this link "makes physical punishment very subjective to what the parent is going through during the time the child is misbehaving".
According to other medical journals referenced in the studies, physical punishment often results in immediate obedience. However, "the child does not learn the desired behaviour and thus it has to be repeated, at times with greater intensity, in order to achieve similar results."
Last week, paediatrician Mariella Mangion told The Malta Independent on Sunday: "Parents may feel that in the short-term force works and that if they do not use force they will lose control over their children. However, they would not see the (long-term) highly damaging consequences." She elaborated that corporal punishment increases the risks of mental health disorders as an adult and interferes in the way that one builds relationships.
Borg's research also shows that physical punishment has been associated with a number of other negative outcomes "including an increased risk of anti-social behaviour and mental health problems as adults, as well as an increased risk of physical abuse to one's partner and/or children".
In 2014, Maltese law was amended for corporal punishment to be abolished. Earlier this month, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca expressed her belief that Malta urgently needs a comprehensive and multifaceted policy to wipe out any vestiges of violence on children.
Trauma in migrants from war torn countries can affect ability to parent effectively
One of the challenges for many Western countries today, including Malta, is the integration of migrant families who come from diverse cultural backgrounds and may have an alternative method of child rearing, the review article explains.
"Some of these migrants come from war torn countries and may be traumatized in a way that can affect their ability to parent effectively unless provided with adequate support."
The researcher recommends adopting a 'cultural competent approach' "by trying to understand the family's background and avoid making false assumptions or stereotypes that are not in the child's best interest".
"One should aim at engaging and educating vulnerable ethnic minority groups," Borg wrote. "This includes making them aware of what is accepted or not by the legislation of the country they are residing in."
Borg's paper was published in the Malta Medical Journal in 2014, following the amendment of the law against corporal punishment. The publication formed part of a Masters degree from Warwick University.
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