Table 1.

Analyses of Covariance Testing Spanking Group Differences in Externalizing

	No Spanking Externalizing M (SD)	Mild Spanking Externalizing M (SD)	Harsh Spanking Externalizing M (SD)	F
Mother-reported externalizing
Age 6 spanking	6.48 (4.77)a; n = 71	8.46 (6.26)a; n = 171	11.90 (7.32)b; n = 194	6.81**
Age 7 spanking	5.94 (5.51)a; n = 77	8.39 (6.41); n = 176	11.29 (8.43)b; n = 160	3.50*
Age 8 spanking	5.96 (5.53)a; n = 109	8.59 (6.11)a; n = 121	11.59 (8.38)b; n = 138	5.86**
Teacher-reported externalizing
Age 6 spanking	4.72 (8.29); n = 74	5.69 (9.08); n = 189	8.10 (10.73); n = 217	.42
Age 7 spanking	5.39 (8.98); n = 85	5.80 (9.09); n = 182	8.45 (11.42); n = 176	.93
Age 8 spanking	4.54 (8.75); n = 125	5.85 (8.84); n = 155	8.92 (11.96); n = 156	1.83

Note. Each ANCOVA tested differences in externalizing by spanking group in the previous year, controlling for externalizing the year before spanking (e.g., age 6 spanking group differences in age 7 externalizing, controlling for age 5 externalizing). Mothers in the no spanking group reported that they had never spanked the child in the last year. Mothers in the mild spanking group reported that they had never spanked the child with an object in the last year but had spanked the child with a hand less than once a month or about once a month in the last year. Mothers in the harsh spanking group reported that they had spanked the child with an object in the last year, that they had spanked the child with a hand about once a week or about once a day in the last year, or both. Group means denoted with different subscripts differed significantly.

^*p < .05.

^**p < .01.