This topic is a little touchy because spanking has become more controversial lately. Some arguments that defend the use of occasional spanking of children in order to discourage negative behavior are that it teaches long-term discipline and that children should be spanked to learn discipline to function well in society. Some of the negative after-effects that have been linked to spanking children are that children who are spanked are more likely to be aggressive, withdrawn, or have behavioral problems when they go to school. Some of the more shocking effects from spanking that were in the accompanying media were that kids who have been spanked have a decreased verbal capacity by age 9 and that it may cause children to have mental health issues.