Children who have been smacked repeatedly by their parents are nearly twice as likely to develop anxiety and depression as other teenagers and adults, a shocking Australian study has found.

A national study of 8500 people found 61 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds experienced corporal punishment as children four or more times.

Females who’d experienced corporal punishment at least four times were 1.8 times more likely to have a major depressive disorder in their lifetime, and 2.1 times as likely to experience anxiety.

Males were 1.7 times more likely to develop depression, and 1.6 times more likely to develop anxiety if they’d been smacked.

One of the lead researchers on the study, director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University, Professor Daryl Higgins, said it paints “a very clear picture”.

“It stacks up,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“This is the group that have experienced it (corporal punishment) on a more regular basis, not incredibly frequently, it still shows up in the data that they’re at risk of mental health disorders.”

Professor Higgins is calling for smacking of children to be made illegal.

“That would put us on the same standing as 62 countries internationally,” he said.

Press PLAY below to hear more about the shocking findings