Robert E. Larzelere: In New Zealand

ROBERT E. LARZELERE PhD
Associate Professor of Psychology
Dept. Human Development & Family Science - Oklahoma State University

will be asking the questions...
• what is the sound scientific evidence on the benefits / harms of smacking?
• how does appropriate smacking compare with other forms of parental
correction in terms of short-term and long-term outcomes?
• do smacking bans reduce child abuse according to international experience?

Doctor Larzelere, one of the World's Foremost Researchers on Child Correction For Past 30 Years is...
• One of three social scientific expert witnesses on the side of successfully defending a
similar section to NZ's s59 of Canada's Criminal Code.
(The social scientific expert witnesses on the other side included Joan Durrant. Durrant
has been painted as the authority on smacking bans in NZ yet was ignored in her own
country!)
• Member of Task Force on Corporal Punishment - American Psychological Association.
• One of 7 experts invited to present at 1996 Scientific Consensus Conference on the
Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Corporal Punishment - co-sponsored by
American Academy of Pediatrics.

Doctor Larzelere is the author of 70 publications including...
• Comparing child outcomes of physical punishment and alternative disciplinary
tactics: A meta-analysis. Larzelere, R. E., & Kuhn, B. R. (2005). Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review,
8, 1-37.
• Sweden's Smacking Ban: More harm than good. Larzelere, R. E. (2004) Frinton on Sea, Essex, UK:
Families First
(Refutes research presented by Joan Durrant which has been used as evidence for repealing
s59 by NZ's Children's Commissioner, UNICEF, Barnados, Plunket and other groups
supporting repeal.)
• Children and Violence in the Family: Scientific Contributions
Larzelere; R. E. (2005) A Submission to the UN Global Study on Children and Violence
• Physical discipline and child behavior problems: A study of ethnic group
differences.
Polaha, J., Larzelere, R. E., Shapiro, S. K., & Pettit, G. S. (2004). Parenting: Science and Practice, 4, 339-360.
• Ordinary physical punishment: Is it harmful?
Baumrind, D., Larzelere, R. E., & Cowan, P. A. (2002). Comment on Gershoff (2002). Psychological Bulletin, 128, 580-589.
• The effects of discipline responses in delaying toddler misbehavior recurrences.
Larzelere, R. E., Schneider, W. N., Larson, D. B., & Pike, P. L. (1996). Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 18, 35-57

For more information on Doctor Robert E. Larzelere and his visit to New Zealand, click here.