Should Parents' Physical Punishment of Children Be Considered a Source of Toxic Stress That Affects Brain Development?

The notion that negative childhood experiences can be sources of toxic stress that have shortand long-term consequences for children's health and well-being has gained increasing attention in recent years. The family environment can be a key source of stress, particularly when parents inflict p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Family relations 2016-02, Vol.65 (1), p.151-162
Main Author: Gershoff, Elizabeth T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Anatomy
Animal cognition
Behavior
Behavior Disorders
Behavior Problems
Brain
brain development
Brain research
Child Development
Child Health
Childhood
Childhood factors
Children
Chronic illnesses
Corporal punishment
Families & family life
Family Environment
Family Relationship
Feedback (Response)
Health
Home environment
Neuropsychology
NEUROSCIENCE AND CHILD BEHAVIOR
Neurosciences
Parent Child Relationship
Parent-child relations
parenting
Parents & parenting
physical abuse
physical punishment
Physiology
Public health
Punishment
Social Behavior
Stress
Stress Management
Stress response
Threats
toxic stress
Value Judgment
Well being
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Summary:The notion that negative childhood experiences can be sources of toxic stress that have shortand long-term consequences for children's health and well-being has gained increasing attention in recent years. The family environment can be a key source of stress, particularly when parents inflict pain on children; when that pain rises to the level of physical abuse the stress is thought to be toxic. In this article the author considers the possibility that nonabusive physical punishment may also constitute a source of toxic stress in the lives of children that affects their brain structure and functioning. The research linking physical abuse and physical punishment to children's brain structure and functioning is summarized, and the article concludes with a discussion of implications for future research, policy, and practice.
ISSN:0197-6664
1741-3729
0197-6664
DOI:10.1111/fare.12177