Moderators of the Association Between Maternal Spanking and Behaviour Problems in At-Risk Black and White Children

There is equivocal evidence as to whether physical discipline is more widespread within the Black community compared to a similar demographic White community. Our quantitative study investigated the association between caregiver’s use of spanking and externalizing behaviors among youth at ages 4, 6, 8, and 12. Race and gender were also examined as possible moderators of this relationship. The participants included 376 at-risk Black households (N = 265) and White households (N = 111) involved with the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) project. Results indicated that Black biological mothers reported spanking younger children more frequently than White biological mothers, while White mothers spanked older children more frequently than Black mothers. Significant but relatively small (r = .135 to r = .244) associations between the use of spanking and externalizing behavior were found at each age. Earlier use of spanking (at ages 4 and 6) was associated with externalizing behavior later in childhood (at age 8) and early adolescence (at age 12). Race moderated the relationship at ages 4, 8, and 12, with a positive association between spanking and externalizing behavior in Black households. The biological sex of the child did not influence the association between spanking and problem behavior. Our study adds to the discussion of racial differences in spanking and childhood outcomes using a developmental and identity-based cultural lens. Limitations and suggestions for future research are also presented.