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Previous studies have shown that parents in low-income families are more likely to use physical punishment in disciplining their children than parents in higher-income families. As popular support for corporal punishment has fallen, trends in this socioeconomic gap remain unexplored.
Researchers analyzed nationally representative surveys conducted in 1988, 1997, 1998, and 2011 to compare parent-reported discipline techniques by socioeconomic status (SES). The surveys asked mothers of children aged 5 to 7 years how many times in the last week they spanked their child and what discipline strategy they would use if their child were to hit them (“hit back,” “spank,” “send to room,” “have him/her take a time out,” or “talk to”). SES was determine…