Disciplining your child by slapping may actually work if it is accompanied by love and affection as it doesn't result in antisocial behaviour, a new US study has claimed.
The belief that their parents love them protects children against feelings of rejection, even when being harshly disciplined, researchers said.
The study found that tough love works if the child thinks the sanction is coming from "a good place", the 'Daily Express' reported.
Some earlier studies have suggested that the use of physical discipline on youngsters carries a greater risk of a child growing up to be aggressive.
However, the study of a group of 189 Mexican-American adolescents and their parents found that having a mother - or the "perception of maternal warmth" - protects against encouraging antisocial behaviour.
The study published in the US journal Parenting: Science And Practise, found that even where the child's perception of maternal warmth was lower, parental love still resulted in a positive relationship with the youngster.
Researcher Miguelina German, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, said warm, responsive parenting is the critical factor when it comes to producing happy, secure kids.
The use of harsh parental discipline such as slapping does not automatically result in antisocial behaviour in the child, German said.
