| Introduction Punishment as a means to change misbehavior of children is a controversial topic, to say the least. Persons advocating the use of punishment and those people who are against the use of punishment have often resorted to claims that may or may not have a basis in scientific evidence. What is even more distressing is that the validity of such claims and theories is rarely questioned or judged. Uttering the words, “We have research that shows,” or “We have findings,” often is taken to sanctify whatever position is being proposed, without any independent judgment of the validity of the purported research. Therefore the claims made on the basis of such research often go unquestioned. How controversial is this topic? If you advocate for the use of punishment, your professional and personal reputation is questioned and your expertise is debased. Many people in professional and administrative capacities have had to quickly refute their position on punishment, to avoid severe professional and political consequences. Galileo’s dealings with the papacy in the 16th century may seem like small claims court when compared to the wrath of people who stand to judge those who support the use of punishment. Further, what is considered off limits, in both practice and research inquires from the professional police squad, can be a most innocuous consequence for child behavior (to most American parents). Lest I give you the impression that the zealots just exist on the side demanding that any form of punishment be outlawed, let me correct that impression. The advocates for using physical punishment can be just as adamant. There is a rising tide in this country that attributes much of our woes in raising children (or our inability to do such) to the removal of corporal punishment in schools and homes. The topic of punishment is rarely portrayed as a useful strategy in books and professional presentations. Many authors skirt the topic, for fear of retribution by either side. On the one hand you have some people intimating that you are an abusive adult if you state that your child has broken a rule, in a voice harsher than Mr. Rogers. If you then proceed to “punish” the child by making him miss cartoons that afternoon for the infraction, you have really stepped over the line. According to these experts, you may even have gone so far as to destroy his self-esteem and produce long-term damage to his psychological disposition when he enters adulthood! These people equate punishment with abusive behavior. They rely on unproven theories to justify their vilification of punishment and the people that use it. They often cite cases in the media of child abuse, and equate such abuse with punishment, therefore, evidence that all punishment should be banned. The inference they want you to draw is the following. If a parent starts using punishment techniques, she or he is “on the road” to becoming a child abuser. On the other extreme, some people believe that severe physical punishment is needed. Anything less is soft and un-American. Their evidence that punishment is lacking in today’s society comes from the rash of school shootings, teenage pregnancies and other ills that would not be existent if corporal punishment were in full force. After all, spanking was a part of Americana when we were growing up. Look how much has changed for the worse. I undertook the writing of this book to provide a basis of fact for adults struggling to make sense of their own discipline policies. Through a better understanding of the effects of punishment, and the conditions under which it is ineffective, parents and professionals would be better equipped to handle child behavior. A decision to use or not use punishment should be made on the scientific merits of a procedure. At the heart of the decision should be the goal of changing the behavior of children in the most effective and reasonable manner. Shouldn’t your judgment about punishment be a function of how you want your child to behave and what is the best means of obtaining such behavior? It is to this end that this book attempts to provide factual information and dispel some of the fictional representations regarding punishment. It does so by putting punishment on trial. I will provide research evidence on the efficacy of punishment procedures. Additionally, I will submit my own judgments, based on two decades of practice in child behavior therapy. It is of course your choice as to whether your own discipline strategy will incorporate certain consequences that might function as punishers. You, the reader will certainly be better informed regarding the truth about punishment (and also reinforcement). Hopefully this will allow you to place into a scientific perspective what you hear other people say about punishment. This book will probably change your understanding of what constitutes punishment (in the technical sense). As your first test on what constitutes punishment, please read the case presented below. Was punishment used to deal with aggressive behavior on the playground? |
| Punishment on Trial book excerpts |
| The Case of Boys Will Be Boys— Reducing Aggressive Behavior in Preschool Children I was asked to consult with Head Start programs in regards to the behavioral problems of some of the children attending the morning or afternoon program. A prototype of a frequent request for consultation was for a child (usually a boy) who was aggressive to other children. One of my first consultations was for a boy who was frequently aggressive. In my observation, I noted a phenomenon that seemed to be the catalyst for this child’s aggression during the outside free play period. When the children were sent outside for playground activities, arguments and fights erupted around the use of the 3 available tricycles. As you might guess, about 10 kids wanted to ride the 3 bikes, all at the same time. The children argued and pushed each other away from the bike in order to establish themselves as the bike riders. Once a child landed in the seat, she or he usually went unchallenged (kind of like “King of the Mountain”). As with this intervention. It is also important to note that the teachers remarked that the children were now bringing their issues surrounding toys and bikes to them more often. It is interesting how time-out will teach children to find a more acceptable way to work out their impulsive behavior. What was also an interesting finding in this program was that many of the children who needed the bike right away learned one of two things: how to wait, or how to find something else interesting to play with that was not in as great a demand as the bikes. Isn’t human nature funny that way? Overview of Punishment on Trial This material is divided into four sections. The first section is entitled, What is Punishment? This section covers basic material with respect to “outcome-oriented punishment” as a means to change child behavior. The importance of using an outcome-oriented definition of punishment is stressed and the ramifications of such a definition are delineated. The second section, Exposing Myths about Punishment, reviews 5 misunderstandings surrounding punishment. The evidence regarding the myth (or lack thereof) is given and its validity debunked. Research supporting more valid conclusions is provided and the factors parents should consider are also provided. In the third section, Six Basic Principles, requisite practices derived from scientific research on punishment are delineated. Such principles are often abused, violated and ignored, which leads to many misconceptions about punishment from lay and professional audiences alike. Throughout the book, personal clinical cases are detailed to illustrate a point. Subsequent to the case presentation, several questions are presented for you to contemplate. The last section, A Responsible Use of Punishment, covers the considerations when using punishment to change child behavior. If you choose to use consequences, this section will provide guidelines for implementation of a child behavior plan. |