Can Corporal Punishment Be Reduced by Parent Training? Results of a 3-Year Longitudinal Study

Corporal punishment of children is a common occurrence in Germany and is associated with a variety of negative outcomes for the child. A key risk factor for the use of corporal punishment is a lack of parental child-rearing skills. Therefore teaching such skills is a promising approach to reduce the prevalence of corporal punishment. In the present study, we investigated whether the Positive Parenting Program by Sanders (Triple P; 2012), was effective in reducing corporal punishment of children. The 3-year longitudinal study included 279 mothers, who were either randomized to the Triple P intervention or an assessment only condition. Analyses with latent growth curve modeling showed significant reduction in self-reported use of maternal corporal punishment with small effect size. These findings are particularly relevant since the use of corporal punishment is a risk factor for a number of negative developmental outcomes as well as for subsequent child abuse.