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Hitting is not discipline, but causes trauma in children
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Culture & Society

Hitting is not discipline, but causes trauma in children

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A counselor warns that physical punishment, often justified as discipline, can cause trauma in children rather than fostering understanding.
  • Hitting children temporarily stops negative behavior due to fear, not comprehension, and can hinder healthy learning processes.
  • Long-term effects include damaged self-esteem, impaired brain development, and difficulties in emotional regulation, potentially perpetuating a cycle of trauma across generations.

The common justification that "a cane is a sign of love" is increasingly being challenged as many parents still believe physical punishment is the most effective way to instill discipline and good behavior in children. However, registered counselor Nurfarahira Ahmad Yaccob warns that such actions can inflict significant harm on a child's emotional, mental, and behavioral development.

Hitting is not an educational method because it only temporarily stops negative behavior due to fear, not because the child understands the mistake they made.

— Nurfarahira Ahmad YaccobThe counselor explains why physical punishment is ineffective for genuine learning and understanding.

From a developmental psychology perspective, Yaccob explains that hitting does not educate; it merely halts negative behavior temporarily out of fear, not because the child understands the wrongdoing. "When we hit, the child's logical brain shuts down due to fear, preventing any healthy learning from occurring at that moment," she stated.

When we hit, the child's logical brain shuts down due to fear, so no healthy learning process occurs at that time.

— Nurfarahira Ahmad YaccobYaccob describes the psychological impact of hitting on a child's cognitive processes.

In the short term, physical punishment can lead to emotional confusion, as the child's safest haven becomes a source of threat. This can cause children to hide mistakes, lie, or become untruthful to avoid being hit. The long-term consequences are more profound, potentially damaging self-esteem, hindering brain development, and impairing the ability to manage emotions. "They grow up believing they are not good enough or only valuable if they are always perfect," Yaccob noted.

They grow up with the belief that they are not good enough or only valuable if they are always perfect.

— Nurfarahira Ahmad YaccobThe counselor discusses the long-term impact of repeated physical punishment on a child's self-esteem.

She stressed the importance of understanding the fine line between discipline and abuse, especially when parents act out of anger. "If a blow leaves bruises, wounds, or is delivered to sensitive areas like the face or head, it has crossed the line of discipline," she clarified. Yaccob also identified the "intergenerational trauma cycle" as a key factor, where parents replicate the harsh upbringing they received due to a lack of knowledge about more suitable disciplinary approaches. Life pressures, financial problems, and work burdens can also contribute to this pattern.

If a blow leaves bruises, wounds, or is done on sensitive parts like the face and head, it has already crossed the line of discipline.

— Nurfarahira Ahmad YaccobYaccob defines the point at which physical discipline becomes abuse.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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