Relationship between Punitive Discipline and Child-to-Parent Violence: The Moderating Role of the Context and Implementation of Parenting Practices

This study examines the influence of punitive parental discipline on child-to-parent violence (CPV). The moderating roles of parental context (stress and parental ineffectiveness), mode of implementation of parental discipline (parental impulsivity or warmth/support) and the gender of the aggressor in the relationship between punitive discipline and CPV are examined. The study included 1543 university students between 18 and 25 years old (50.2% males, Mage = 19.9 years, SD = 1.9) who retrospectively described their experience between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. The results indicated that stress, ineffectiveness and parental impulsivity increase the negative effect of punitive discipline on CPV. There is no moderating effect of parental warmth/support. The gender of the aggressor is only a moderator in the case of violence toward the father, and the effect of punitive discipline is stronger in males than in females. The study draws conclusions regarding the importance of context and the mode by which parents discipline their children, aspects that can aggravate the adverse effects of physical and psychological punishment on CPV. It is necessary for interventions to focus not only on promoting positive disciplinary strategies but also on the mode in which they are administered and on contextual aspects.

Exploring the positive discipline practices of parents of children aged 1–5 years in Aotearoa New Zealand

Despite more than a century of academic scrutiny on parental discipline of children, parents’ use of positive discipline practices is not well understood. This article draws from a larger study (Southey, 2020) aimed at understanding the prosocial practices parents use to guide their children’s social, emotional, and behavioural development, and how they are informed in their practices. Findings suggest parents used positive discipline strategies at higher rates than coercive strategies. In terms of information and support, early childhood education (ECE) teachers were found to be the leading source of professional support for parents. This article recommends further research to understand the supporting role of ECE teachers.

Harsh parental discipline and offspring emotional and behavioural problems: Comparing findings from the random-intercept cross-lagged panel model and the monozygotic twin difference design

Objective. To elucidate associations between parental harsh discipline and child emotional and behavioural problems in monozygotic twins aged 9, 12 and 16 and to compare distinct approaches to causal inference.Method. Child reports of 5,698 identical twins from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) were analysed. We tested three types of longitudinal structural equation models: a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM), a random intercept CLPM (RI-CLPM) and a monozygotic twin difference version of the CLPM (MZD-CLPM). Results. Given the study aim to infer causation, interpretation of models focussed primarily on the magnitude and significance of cross-lagged associations. Behavioural problems resulted in harsher parental discipline across all models. In the CLPM, we found bidirectional effects between parental discipline behavioural problems at age 9 and 12. Point estimates of all other associations between parental harsh discipline and child emotional and behavioural problems were in the same direction but magnitude varied across models. In the MZD-CLPM, twin differences in harsh parental discipline at 9 predicted twin differences in emotional problems at 12. In the RI-CLPM, emotional problems at 12 predicted a reduction in harsh parental discipline at 16 within person. Conclusions. Findings can be interpreted as corroborating (but not definite) evidence in favour of a causal effect of child behavioural problems on later experienced harsh parental discipline. Yet, in light of the triangulated methods, results also illustrate divergence in the MZD-CLPM and RI-CLPM outcomes, and underline the importance of a well-defined research question, careful model selection and refining causal conclusions on within-person processes.

Associations Between 11 Parental Discipline Behaviors and Child Outcomes Across 60 Countries

Objective: To test associations between 11 parental discipline behaviors and child aggression, distraction, and prosocial peer relations across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Study Design: Data came from the fourth (2009-2013) and fifth (2012-2017) rounds of the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). Survey responses publicly available as of July 2020 were included. Data were restricted to household respondents with focal children under 5 years. The final analytic sample included 163,345 respondents across 60 LMICs. Data were analyzed using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression. Results: Verbal reasoning (80%) and shouting (66%) were the most common parental discipline behaviors toward young children. Psychological and physical aggression were associated with higher child aggression and distraction. Verbal reasoning was associated with lower aggression (OR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.86, 0.99]) and higher prosocial peer relations (OR = 1.30, 95% CI [1.20, 1.42]). Taking away privileges was associated with higher distraction (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.03, 1.15] and lower prosocial peer relations (OR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.87, 0.98]). Giving the child something else to do was associated with higher distraction (OR = 1.06, 95% CI [1.01, 1.12]. Random slopes suggested statistically credible cultural variation in the associations between parenting behaviors and child socio-emotional outcomes.Conclusions: Psychological and physical aggression were disadvantageous for children’s socio-emotional development across countries. Only verbal reasoning was associated with positive child socio-emotional development. Greater emphasis should be dedicated to reducing parental use of psychological and physical aggression across cultural contexts.

Associations among Toddlers’ and Preschoolers’ Sleep Problems, Emotional Reactivity, Sleep Regime and Parental Applied Rules for Screen-Based Media Use

Background. Children’s sleep problems are associated with temperament. One of the dimensions of temperament – higher emotional reactivity – is defined as a risk factor for children’s emotional, behavioral, and sleep problems. Screen-based media use is a very common phenomenon among children that relates to sleep problems. Still there is a gap of research explaining the interactions between children’s sleep problems, temperament, and parental discipline (sleep regime and rules for screen-based media use). The aim of this study is to evaluate the relations between preschool children’s sleep problems and parents’ discipline (sleep regime and rules for screen-based media use), and the role of children’s emotional reactivity. Methods. This research is a part of the longitudinal study “Electronic Media Use and Young Children’s Health” conducted in the year 2017–2018 and funded by the Research Council of Lithuanian (agreement no. GER-006/2017). Participants are 876 children aged 2 to 5 years old and their parents. Children’s sleep problems and emotional reactivity were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1½-5). Information about rules for screen-based media use and sleep regime was obtained using the parent-report questionnaire. Results. Sleep problems are related to emotional reactivity, sleep regime, and rules for screen media use. Children without regular sleep regime and without constant rules for screen-based media use have higher sleep problems and emotional reactivity. The results of the regression analysis show that emotional reactivity, together with sleep regime and rules for screen-based media use, significantly explain one-fifth to one-third of children’s sleep problems at different ages of the preschool period. However, the prognostic value of emotional reactivity and parental discipline varies according to a child’s age, as they are significant predictors of sleep problems among two, three and four-year-olds, but no longer explain sleep problems of five-year-olds. The path analysis confirmed that emotional reactivity, directly and through mediating variables, e.g., parental reported child’s sleep regime and rules for screen-based media use, is significantly associated with children’s sleep problems. Conclusions. Emotional reactivity should be considered as a significant risk factor in the relation between children’s sleep problems, sleep regime and parental applied rules for screen-based media use. These results are important while identifying children at higher risk for sleep problems. The results also support that parental discipline, such as sleep regime and rules for screen-based media use, are significant for preventing sleep problems in children with higher emotional reactivity.