Four large surveys of self-reported discipline used by parents demonstrate promising downward trends in corporal punishment. However, spanking remains normative in the United States, especially among preschool children, and the rates of hitting with an object remain high. It is recommended that future surveys incorporate similar measures to track these trends. Corporal punishment is increasingly regarded as an act of violence against children. Corporal punishment includes any use of physical punishment against a child in response to misbehavior. The most commonly forms of physical punishment against a child includes spanking, smacking, and slapping, but also includes the use of an object. In examining the trends in corporal punishment, this study examined the data on the use of corporal punishment and physical abuse of 3-to-11-year old children by parents from four cross-sectional population surveys. Tables, figure, and references