Ending the Physical Punishment of Children: A Guide for Clinicians and Practitioners

Edited by Elizabeth T. Gershoff and Shawna J. Lee

The government of Sweden was the first to institute a ban on all physical punishment of children, including by parents, in 1979. Many countries have truly universal legal prohibitions of physical punishment that apply to all parents, caregivers, and teachers. The majority of countries have limited legal prohibitions on physical punishment in certain settings (e.g., child-care centers, schools, juvenile detention centers); however, the current chapter does not consider such partial bans and instead focuses on complete bans on physical punishment. To date, no country has reversed a complete ban on physical punishment.

American Psychological Association, 2020, 12p.