Heat and light in the childhood spanking debate
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* Kathy Lasell

I would like to comment on the article by Harriet MacMillan and colleagues.1 I have noted over the years that people I have known who were spanked and slapped as children have become either overachievers (still trying desperately to please or succeed) or underachievers (giving up, with the sense of never being able to please no matter how hard they try). They seem to experience no happy in-between state; this often affects not only their physical and mental well-being but also the people who share close relationships with them.

The people I have known who were not spanked and slapped in childhood seem to have a feeling of self-worth that does not depend on always feeling they *must* please others, but rather on the joy of knowing that they do please others.

## Reference

1.  1. MacMillan HL, Boyle MH, Wong MYY, Duku EK, Fleming JE, Walsh CA. Slapping and spanking in childhood and its association with lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a general population sample. CMAJ 1999; 161(7):805-9.
    
    [Abstract/FREE Full Text](http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NDoiY21haiI7czo1OiJyZXNpZCI7czo5OiIxNjEvNy84MDUiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyMjoiL2NtYWovMTYyLzYvNzU5LjMuYXRvbSI7fXM6ODoiZnJhZ21lbnQiO3M6MDoiIjt9)