Can Spanking Improve ADHD Behaviors

Can Spanking Improve ADHD Behaviors ADHD Parenting Print Can Spanking Improve ADHD Behaviors? By Keath Low Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD. Learn about our editorial policy Keath Low Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 04, 2019 ADHD Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Living With In Children Sandro Di Carlo Darsa / Getty Images ADHD is a disorder that includes impulsivityâ€"that is, difficulty with limiting ones own behaviors. As a result, one of the most important skills your child needs is self-discipline. Self-discipline, of course, increases as a person maturesâ€"but it can be taught through modeling and practice. Can spanking help to teach self-discipline? The Problem with Spanking as a Form of Discipline for Children with ADHD Spanking is not a very effective parenting strategy for any child. It may stop the behavior at that moment, but it does not teach new skills or appropriate replacement behaviors to children. Spanking also models aggressive behavior as a solution and can lead to deterioration in the parent-child relationship. In most cases, it also does not stop the problematic behavior in the longer term, particularly for a child with ADHD who tends to live in the moment and has difficulty connecting behaviors to consequences. Can Negative Consequences Other Than Spanking Be Useful? Negative consequences certainly have their place in parenting children with ADHD. The most effective way to use these consequences, however, is in a calm and consistent manner and in a way that helps your child learn ways to change the inappropriate behavior. Spanking is effective in getting the child to comply immediately in the short term, but it does not promote positive and adaptive behaviors in the long run. Consequences such as removal of privileges, loss of special activity, and use of time-out have been shown to be more effective. For a child with ADHD who has difficulty with self-regulation, a proactive approach to discipline is most effective. This approach includes a structured, predictable environment, immediate and frequent feedback, shaping and rewarding appropriate behavior, and using incentives before consequences. How to Avoid Use of Spanking as a Consequence Children with ADHD can be very exasperatingâ€"they are highly active, dont seem to learn from mistakes, need frequent monitoring and redirection, are impulsive, reactive, demanding and temperamental, or have aggressive or destructive tendencies. This can evoke a wide range of feelings and frustrate even the most patient of parents. In some cases, parents may resort to spanking as a last-ditch effort especially when they feel a lack of power or control over how to manage the behaviors. If you find yourself in this situation, it can help to keep a disability perspective by understanding that your child has special needs. It can also help to remind yourself again and again not to personalize your child’s behaviors. Plan ahead about how you will deal with difficult situations, and when those incidents occur, take a long deep breathâ€"or three or fourâ€"before responding to your child. This delay can often help you think through and respond with a more effective parenting technique than a spank.