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Who spanks infants and toddlers? Evidence from the fragile families and child well-being study

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  • MacKenzie, Michael J.
  • Nicklas, Eric
  • Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne
  • Waldfogel, Jane

Abstract

We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study (FFCW), a birth cohort study of children in 18 medium to large U.S. cities, to examine the prevalence and determinants of spanking among infants and toddlers (at mean age 14Â months). Taking advantage of the large and diverse sample in FFCW, we conduct separate analyses for children of African American (NÂ =Â 1710), Hispanic (NÂ =Â 853), and white non-Hispanic (NÂ =Â 812) mothers. Overall, about 15% of children are spanked at 12Â months, with this share rising to 40% by 18Â months and nearly 50% for children age 20Â months or older. We find that there are marked differences in the use of spanking across the three racial/ethnic groups, with children of African American mothers more likely to be spanked and at a younger age. Moreover, while some predictors of spanking are seen across all three groups, others vary. Mothers who are young, who report more parental stress, or report their child has a more difficult temperament are more likely to spank across all three groups. However, being a boy increases the risk of spanking only within African American families. First-born children are at elevated risk of spanking to at least some extent in all groups, but much more so within Hispanic families. In addition, maternal employment is associated with a greater likelihood of spanking in Hispanic families. Although spanking at these young ages is not necessarily indicative of maltreatment, it may be a marker for families who are at elevated risk of maltreatment. As such, our findings, by highlighting some risk factors that are common across groups as well as some that are more important for particular groups, may have implications for child abuse prevention.

Suggested Citation

  • MacKenzie, Michael J. & Nicklas, Eric & Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne & Waldfogel, Jane, 2011. "Who spanks infants and toddlers? Evidence from the fragile families and child well-being study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(8), pages 1364-1373, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:33:y:2011:i:8:p:1364-1373
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Reichman, Nancy E. & Teitler, Julien O. & Garfinkel, Irwin & McLanahan, Sara S., 2001. "Fragile Families: sample and design," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4-5), pages 303-326.
    2. Berger, Lawrence & Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne & Paxson, Christina & Waldfogel, Jane, 2008. "First-year maternal employment and child outcomes: Differences across racial and ethnic groups," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 365-387, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chris Herbst & Erdal Tekin, 2012. "Child Care Subsidies, Maternal Well-Being, and Child-Parent Interactions: Evidence from Three Nationally Representative Datasets," Working Papers 1372, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    2. Yang, Chenlu & Liu, Xiaoli & Yang, Yuning & Huang, Xiaona & Song, Qiying & Wang, Yan & Zhou, Hong, 2020. "Violent disciplinary behaviors towards left-behind children in 20 counties of rural China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. repec:pri:crcwel:wp11-20-ff is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Chris M. Herbst & Erdal Tekin, 2014. "Child Care Subsidies, Maternal Health, And Child–Parent Interactions: Evidence From Three Nationally Representative Datasets," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(8), pages 894-916, August.
    5. Shuey, Elizabeth A. & Leventhal, Tama, 2017. "Pathways of risk and resilience between neighborhood socioeconomic conditions and parenting," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 52-59.
    6. Hani Fatima & Shuhang Zhao & Ai Yue & Shanshan Li & Yaojiang Shi, 2022. "Parental Discipline and Early Childhood Development in Rural China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-12, February.
    7. Lee, RaeHyuck & Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne & Han, Wen-Jui & Waldfogel, Jane & Zhai, Fuhua, 2014. "Is participation in Head Start associated with less maternal spanking for boys and girls?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 55-63.
    8. Muhammed QASIM & Muhammed Abrar ul HAQ & Tarik HUSSEIN & Charagh ROSHAN, 2018. "Does Women Well-being Matter for Demand and Development of Children?," EKOIST Journal of Econometrics and Statistics, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 14(29), pages 169-197, December.
    9. Diana Lopez-Avila, 2016. "Child Discipline and Social Programs: Evidence from Colombia," Working Papers halshs-01305961, HAL.
    10. Ma, Julie & Han, Yoonsun, 2023. "Heterogeneous effects of spanking on child protective services involvement in early childhood: A propensity score stratification analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
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    12. Ma, Julie, 2016. "Neighborhood and parenting both matter: The role of neighborhood collective efficacy and maternal spanking in early behavior problems," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 250-260.
    13. Grogan-Kaylor, Andrew & Burlaka, Viktor & Ma, Julie & Lee, Shawna & Castillo, Berenice & Churakova, Iuliia, 2018. "Predictors of parental use of corporal punishment in Ukraine," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 66-73.

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