Lingering shadows of childhood corporal punishment: Family trajectories across decades

Abstract

Objective

Corporal punishment is the most common form of violence against children worldwide. This study adopts a life course perspective to examine associations between childhood corporal punishment and distinct multi-decade family trajectories from young adulthood to middle adulthood in China. Specifically, it examines how childhood parental punishment shapes later family life course trajectory patterns, incorporating partnership, marriage, and fertility outcomes, and considers different sources of punishment (maternal and paternal) and potential gender differences (sons and daughters).

Background

Accumulating evidence reveals that corporal punishment is not only unnecessary as a disciplinary technique but also harmful to children. This evidence has led to a worldwide movement to eliminate any non-accidental use of physical force against children. However, previous research often assesses isolated family outcomes without considering family development as a dynamic and interconnected process, resulting in an ambiguous understanding of childhood corporal punishment's long-reaching influence on unfolding family pathways.

Results

Results uncovered both stability and diversity in Chinese family trajectories, with the majority following stable marital norms. Experiencing childhood corporal punishment increased the odds of an early unstable trajectory characterized by divorce and remarriage. Moreover, the implications of childhood paternal punishment appeared more wide-ranging than maternal punishment in terms of sorting into normative versus atypical family trajectory patterns. Childhood maltreatment also overrides influences of child gender, similarly impacting future family trajectories across genders.

Conclusion

This research highlights the profoundly disruptive effects of corporal punishment on family development throughout the lifespan, carrying important implications for fostering healthier and more resilient families.