A WHO report and a meta-analysis confirm that spanking has no benefits for children and carries real risks.

Spanking predicts increases in aggressive and acting-out behavior in children, even years later.

Warm, supportive parenting can buffer some of the harm, but does not fully undo the negative effects.

Researchers estimate that up to 40 percent of U.S. families spank their children, and 1.2 billion children worldwide are physically punished at home. Many parents justify the behavior because they grew up being spanked. Others point to a theory that spanking is less harmful in cultures where it is widely practiced and considered socially acceptable.

But a wave of research published during the past year is strengthening what scientists have demonstrated over the past several decades: Spanking doesn’t work, and it may cause lasting harm to kids.

The most recent comprehensive report on spanking was published in 2025 by the World Health Organization. Combining evidence available globally, it found overwhelming scientific evidence that physical punishment carries multiple risks of harm and has no benefits for children, parents, or societies.

“We know from the vast amount of research on spanking that it simply does not work,” said Kim Kopko, a child development expert at Cornell’s Bronfenbrenner Center for........

© Psychology Today