Physical punishment is associated with a range
of mental health problems in children, youth and adults, including depression, unhappiness, anxiety, feelings
of hopelessness, use
of drugs and alcohol, and general psychological maladjustment.26 — 29 These relationships may be mediated by disruptions in parent — child attachment resulting from pain inflicted by a caregiver, 30,31 by increased levels
of cortisol32 or by chemical disruption
of the brain's mechanism for regulating stress.33 Researchers are also finding that physical punishment is linked to slower cognitive
development and adversely affects academic achievement.34 These findings come from large longitudinal studies that control for a wide range
of potential confounders.35
Intriguing results are now emerging from neuroimaging studies, which suggest that physical punishment may reduce the volume
of the brain's grey matter in
areas associated with performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, third edition (WAIS - III).36 In addition, physical punishment can cause alterations in the dopaminergic regions associated with vulnerability to the abuse
of drugs and alcohol.37