Pediatrics

Pediatricians renew call to abandon spanking

(HealthDay)—The American Academy of Pediatrics is strengthening its recommendation to ban spanking and other forms of corporal punishment, citing new research that says that type of discipline can affect normal brain development.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Harsh parenting may harm a child's physical health

(HealthDay)—Harsh parenting may leave more than psychological scars, it might also leave lasting physical problems—such as obesity—even into young adulthood, new research suggests.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Telomeres and social disadvantage

Genes amplify the stress of harsh environments for some children, and magnify the advantage of supportive environments for other children, according to a study that's one of the first to document how genes interacting with ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Great Recession onset spurs harsh parenting, researchers find

The onset of the Great Recession and, more generally, deteriorating economic conditions lead mothers to engage in harsh parenting, such as hitting or shouting at children, a team of researchers has found. But the effect is ...