Corporal Punishment in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Corporal punishment in children and adolescents is highly prevalent and widely accepted by society. In this sense, the present study aimed to identify family dynamics' intrinsic and extrinsic aspects concerning corporal punishment in children and teenagers. Based on a scoping review method, this investigation collected data published between 1990 and 2022 in the following databases: Scielo, Pepsic, IndexPsi, and Lilacs. The descriptors used were physical punishment, spanking, corporal punishment, Spanking Law in Brazil, Law 13.010 and Law Menino Bernardo and children, adolescents and parents. Of the 219 studies found, 31 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results showed that corporal punishment is culturally seen as an educational right of parents, recurrently has an intergenerational character, highlights the absence of alternative parenting strategies, and explains the parents' psycho-affective and relational weaknesses. In addition, it can be considered negative by the children, as they point to improvements and possibilities in the relationship with their parents. In this way, we suggest psychoeducational activities with communities and training for professionals who support families, so the expansion of the parenting practices repertoire can occur, as well as the denaturalization of violent discipline, considering the limitations and singularities of childhood and adolescence.