The study found that the more a child was spanked, the greater the probability he or she would hit other children outside the family. Children are more likely to do what parents want if there is a strong bond of affection with the parents. Consider how this would affect the relationship of parents and their teenagers, who are often too big to control by physical force. The only real resource we have with teens is the bank of goodwill created through parenting over the years. Research indicates that children of non-spanking parents tend to control their behavior on the basis of what is right or wrong.
Spanked children control their behavior to avoid being hit.
They see parents as having the major responsibility for children conforming to proper standards. In contrast, children with nurturing, non-spanking parents tend to adopt parental standards and to assume the responsibility for checking on their own behavior. What this all means is that if parents avoid spanking and use alternatives to physical punishment, they are likely to have children who are easier to manage and better behaved. Most people think the opposite is true. Another finding was that the more corporal punishment experienced, the greater the alienation.