Punishment is a behavioral approach that attempts to reduce a child's inappropriate behavior. There are two kinds of punishment: presentation punishment which involves the introduction of an unpleasant consequence such as a failing grade after not studying and two, removal punishment which is taking away something that's pleasant. For example, when a child is late coming home and misses curfew and the child gets grounded for it. Both kinds of punishment reduce the target behavior. Punishment doesn't directly help a child gain emotional regulation or internalize accepted behaviors but it does help children know which behaviors are acceptable and which ones are unacceptable, but only if parents are consistent.
In some situations punishment can lead to an increase in the behavior that's being punished. For example, if a child is punished for stuttering it will only increase the stuttering, not stop it. Punishment can enhance behavior in two ways. First, if punishment is the only attention the child gets from a parent the child will continue to engage in the behavior for the attention. The second way punishment can increase behaviors is in a setting where there is no one to control it. Further, children are at times unaware of the specific behavior being punished and they believe they're being punished for being bad. This develops low self-esteem particularly with children who have an all or nothing view of personal criticism.
Punishment can be tricky and a concept that parents have a hard time implementing because each situation is different and the level of punishment needed varies according to what the child may have done 'wrong' or in what way the child acted inappropriately. Next week we'll discuss six forms of punishment which will help parents know what time of punishment to use for what type of behavior (or inappropriate behavior).
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