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Dickson KS, Ameyaw EK, Adde KS, Paintsil JA, Yaya S. Social determinants of child abuse: Evidence from seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305778. [PMID: 39018281 PMCID: PMC11253956 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Child abuse is a dominant public health concern that permeates race, varied social contexts and culture. Child abuse comprises any act of omission or commission perpetrated by a child's parent, caregiver, or other adult leading to harm, potential for, or any threat of harm to a child (below age 18), either intentional or unintentional. This subject has usually been explored by focusing on men. This study investigated the prevalence and social correlates of child abuse across seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS AND MATERIALS Data was obtained from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2013 and 2020. The outcome variable employed for this study was acts of child abuse (including shouting, striking, and slapping). Descriptive and inferential analyses were carried out. The descriptive analysis focused on the bivariate analysis between the country variable and the outcome variables. Multivariate analysis was, however, utilized to determine the relationship between the outcome variables and the respondents' explanatory variables, using a binary logistic regression model. The adjusted odds ratios for each variable were calculated using a 95% confidence range. RESULTS The proportion of women shouting at children was 72 percent. This ranged from 49.2 percent in Chad to 84.2 percent in Benin. The proportion of women striking children was 52.5 percent and this ranged from 37.1 percent in Chad to 63.8 percent in Benin. The odds of women striking their children was higher for those with children aged 10-14 (aOR = 1.18, CI = 1.03, 1.34), women with primary education (aOR = 1.25, CI = 1.17, 1.33), cohabiting women (aOR = 1.17, CI = 1.10, 1.25) and women who had experienced intimate partner violence (aOR = 1.06, CI = 1.00, 1.12). The odds of women shouting at their children was higher for those aged 30-34 years (aOR = 1.31, CI = 1.11, 1.55) and for working women (aOR = 1.43, 1.33, 1.56). The odds of women slapping their children was higher for those who justify wife-beating (aOR = 1.10, CI = 1.03, 1.16) and for women with richest wealth status (aOR = 1.25, CI = 1.17, 1.33). CONCLUSIONS The findings show that it is imperative for the governments of the countries studied, especially those with high prevalence like Benin, to consider parent-friendly and culturally acceptable non-formal educational initiatives that will dissuade parents and guardians from abusing children. Possibly, legal reforms that sanction harsher punishments to perpetrators of child abuse may help make child abuse less attractive to parents and guardians.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
- Institute of Policy Studies and School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong
- L & E; E Research Consult Ltd, Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana
| | - Kenneth Setorwu Adde
- Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Jones Arkoh Paintsil
- Department of Economics, Howard University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Sanni Yaya
- The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Larzelere RE, Knowles SJ, Adkison-Johnson C, Cox RB, Lin H, Mandara J. Ethnic Differences in the Effects of Five Disciplinary Techniques on Subsequent Externalizing Behavior Problems. MARRIAGE & FAMILY REVIEW 2023; 59:523-548. [PMID: 38322799 PMCID: PMC10846863 DOI: 10.1080/01494929.2023.2199732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
To identify disciplinary alternatives to replace spanking, this study investigated ethnic differences in the associations of five disciplinary techniques with subsequent externalizing behavior problems in a national sample of 7- to 11-year-olds with ANCOVAs and difference-score analyses. Most techniques led to significant reductions in externalizing problems for African-Americans or Hispanics, but only after overcoming known biases in ANCOVA and not for other European-Americans. Privilege removal had the most significantly effective results, followed by grounding. Sending children to their room and spanking significantly reduced externalizing problems only in one or two analyses for African-Americans, whereas removing children's allowance was significantly effective in one overall analysis. Parenting research needs to distinguish between more vs. less effective use of all disciplinary techniques across multiple situational and cultural contexts.
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Ward KP, Lee SJ, Grogan-Kaylor AC, Ma J, Pace GT. Patterns of caregiver aggressive and nonaggressive discipline toward young children in low- and middle-income countries: A latent class approach. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 128:105606. [PMID: 35349948 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Caregivers use a variety of disciplinary methods to respond to undesired child behavior. Many caregivers use nonaggressive forms of discipline, such as verbal reasoning and redirection. Some caregivers use aggressive forms of discipline, such as spanking and yelling. However, most caregivers use a combination of aggressive and nonaggressive discipline. To date, a disproportionately small number of caregiver discipline studies are conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and few studies in low-resource contexts examine aggressive and nonaggressive behaviors simultaneously. OBJECTIVE This study aims to elucidate caregiver patterns of 11 disciplinary behaviors used in LMICs, and examine how these patterns relate to child outcomes and household characteristics. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Data came from the fourth and fifth rounds of UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) distributed between 2009 and 2017 (N = 218,824 respondents across 63 countries). Focal children were 3-4 years old. METHODS Patterns of disciplinary behaviors were estimated using a multilevel latent class analysis (LCA). Multinomial regression analyses examined associations of disciplinary patterns with caregiver-reported child outcomes and household characteristics. RESULTS The LCA suggested caregiver discipline fell into three overall patterns: high behavioral control, moderate behavior control, and lower behavioral control. The lower behavioral control class was associated with the most advantageous child outcomes and household socio-demographic characteristics, whereas the high behavioral control class was associated with the most disadvantageous child outcomes and household characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Efforts should be employed to reduce aggressive behaviors and promote positive parenting among caregivers in LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin P Ward
- University of Michigan, School of Social Work, 1080 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Shawna J Lee
- University of Michigan, School of Social Work, 1080 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Andrew C Grogan-Kaylor
- University of Michigan, School of Social Work, 1080 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Julie Ma
- University of Michigan-Flint, Department of Social Work, 303 E. Kearsley St., Flint, MI 48502, USA.
| | - Garrett T Pace
- University of Michigan, School of Social Work, 1080 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Tompkins V, Villaruel E. Parent Discipline and Pre-schoolers' Social Skills. EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE 2022; 192:410-424. [PMID: 35399602 PMCID: PMC8991749 DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2020.1763978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Educators recognize children's social competence as an indicator of school readiness. Children's social competence may be promoted prior to kindergarten through parents' discipline; however, prior research largely focused on parenting and social competence in older children or only focused on children's problem behaviours. We assessed parent discipline as a predictor of 37 low-income pre-schoolers' social skills over four months. Parents answered open-ended questions about how they would respond to child behaviours; children's pre-school teachers rated their social skills. In a hierarchical regression controlling for children's age and initial social skills, parents' inductions significantly predicted children's later social skills. Although children's social skills were correlated with parents' pairing of consequences and inductions, this relation was no longer significant when controlling for age and initial social skills. Power assertive discipline and time-outs were not significantly correlated with children's social skills. The results suggest that parents' inductions may be beneficial for children's social skills by focusing the child's attention on the reasons the behaviour was inappropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Tompkins
- Psychology Department, The Ohio State University at Lima, Lima, Ohio, United States
| | - Eve Villaruel
- Psychology Department, The Ohio State University at Lima, Lima, Ohio, United States
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5
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Kang S, Gair SL, Paton MJ, Harvey EA. Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Relation Between Parenting and Preschoolers' Externalizing Behaviors. EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022; 34:823-841. [PMID: 37377766 PMCID: PMC10292775 DOI: 10.1080/10409289.2022.2074202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
This study examined racial/ethnic differences in the relations between three dimensions of parenting practices (harsh, lax, and warm parenting) and children's externalizing behaviors across European American, African American, and Latinx families. Participants included 221 mothers who identified as African American (n = 32), Latina (n = 46), or European American (n = 143). Mothers' self-rated and observer-coded harshness, laxness, and warmth, and their ratings of their 3-year-old children's externalizing behaviors (hyperactivity, aggression) were analyzed. Multiple regression analyses indicated some racial/ethnic differences in the relations between harsh and warm parenting, and children's externalizing behaviors. The slopes of the relation between greater harshness and greater aggression and hyperactivity were more positive for European American families than for African American or Latinx families. The slopes of the relation between greater warmth and less aggression were more negative for European American and Latinx families than for African American families. Results indicated no racial/ethnic differences in the relation between laxness and externalizing behaviors. These findings suggest racial/ethnic differences in the relation between some parenting practices and externalizing behaviors, which has important implications in culturally sensitive clinical practice for different racial/ethnic groups. More research is necessary to replicate these findings, and to identify other parenting practices that may be more important in racial/ethnic minority families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungha Kang
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Tobin Hall, 135 Hicks Way, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States of America
| | - Shannon L Gair
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Tobin Hall, 135 Hicks Way, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States of America
| | - Mariajosé J Paton
- Psychology Department, University of South Carolina, 1512 Pendleton Street, Columbia, SC 29208, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A Harvey
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Tobin Hall, 135 Hicks Way, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States of America
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Speyer LG, Obsuth I, Ribeaud D, Eisner M, Luciano M, Auyeung B, Murray AL. Mediating Factors in Within-Person Developmental Cascades of Externalising, Internalising and ADHD Symptoms in Childhood. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2022; 50:1011-1025. [PMID: 35488988 PMCID: PMC9395455 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-00905-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have offered evidence for peer problems and academic achievement as mediators in developmental cascades from externalising to internalising problems, and from ADHD symptoms to both internalising and externalising problems. However, these mediators have not been found to fully account for these cascades, indicating that there may be additional mediators involved. This study investigated the role of harsh parenting and parental involvement alongside academic achievement and peer problems in mediating within-person developmental cascades from externalising to internalising problems and from ADHD symptoms to internalising and externalising problems using autoregressive latent trajectory models with structured residuals. Models were fit for parent- and teacher-reports on children’s psychosocial development as measured by the Social Behaviour Questionnaire (SBQ) collected over ages 7, 9, and 11 in an ethnically diverse Swiss longitudinal cohort study (z-proso; N = 1387, 51% male). Results indicated that, when appropriately disentangling within- from between-person effects, none of the considered factors acted as significant mediators in longitudinal within-person relations between ADHD, internalising and externalising problems; hence, mediating mechanisms in developmental cascades remain to be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Gabriela Speyer
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. .,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Ingrid Obsuth
- Clinical Psychology Department, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Denis Ribeaud
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Eisner
- Violence Research Centre, Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michelle Luciano
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Bonnie Auyeung
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Speyer LG, Hang Y, Hall HA, Murray AL. The role of harsh parenting practices in early- to middle-childhood socioemotional development: An examination in the Millennium Cohort Study. Child Dev 2022; 93:1304-1317. [PMID: 35332523 PMCID: PMC9545411 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Patterson's coercion model describes a gradual escalation in maladaptive parent-child transactions whereby externalizing behaviors lead to increases in maladaptive parenting and vice versa. The current study investigates the role of (predominantly mother-reported) harsh parenting practices in the within-person development of conduct problems, hyperactive/inattentive behaviors, and emotional problems. A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model was fit across ages 3, 5, and 7 (N = 14,037, 49% female, 84% White) using the UK population-representative Millennium Cohort Study. Findings support Patterson's coercion model, providing evidence for reciprocal within-family relations between parenting practices and child behaviors. They suggest the importance of addressing parenting difficulties in families where children present with socioemotional difficulties in order to help prevent the accumulation of additional issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Gabriela Speyer
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yuzhan Hang
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Heilmann A, Mehay A, Watt RG, Kelly Y, Durrant JE, van Turnhout J, Gershoff ET. Physical punishment and child outcomes: a narrative review of prospective studies. Lancet 2021; 398:355-364. [PMID: 34197808 PMCID: PMC8612122 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00582-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Physical punishment is increasingly viewed as a form of violence that harms children. This narrative review summarises the findings of 69 prospective longitudinal studies to inform practitioners and policy makers about physical punishment's outcomes. Our review identified seven key themes. First, physical punishment consistently predicts increases in child behaviour problems over time. Second, physical punishment is not associated with positive outcomes over time. Third, physical punishment increases the risk of involvement with child protective services. Fourth, the only evidence of children eliciting physical punishment is for externalising behaviour. Fifth, physical punishment predicts worsening behaviour over time in quasi-experimental studies. Sixth, associations between physical punishment and detrimental child outcomes are robust across child and parent characteristics. Finally, there is some evidence of a dose-response relationship. The consistency of these findings indicates that physical punishment is harmful to children and that policy remedies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Heilmann
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Anita Mehay
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Richard G Watt
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yvonne Kelly
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Joan E Durrant
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - Elizabeth T Gershoff
- Population Research Center and Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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9
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Rodriguez CM, Lee SJ, Ward KP. Underlying mechanisms for racial disparities in parent-child physical and psychological aggression and child abuse risk. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2021; 117:105089. [PMID: 33957487 PMCID: PMC8252690 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding factors that contribute to parents' use of physical and psychological parent-child aggression (PCA) is critical in efforts to mitigate child maltreatment. OBJECTIVE Extant research has not adequately distinguished risk factors that may differ by race. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS The present study investigated potential racial differences in worry, approval of PCA, justification for PCA use, negative child intent attributions, and discrimination experiences in relation to child abuse risk and physical and psychological PCA use in a sample of 292 Black (44.9 %) and White mothers. RESULTS As hypothesized, compared to White mothers, Black mothers demonstrated higher child abuse risk and reported more PCA use, stronger approval for using PCA, and more justification of their PCA to teach children obedience. Although Black mothers reported more discipline-relevant worry as well as more experience of discrimination, White mothers' lower trait worry related to their greater approval of PCA for discipline, which indirectly related to their abuse risk. Contrary to expectations, perceptions of greater discrimination were related to White mothers' increased child abuse risk, approval of PCA, and justification for PCA because of anger and to teach obedience-findings not observed for Black mothers. CONCLUSIONS The current results underscore the need for additional research on the role of discrimination and the cultural context of parenting and highlight the importance of explicitly testing racial differences to develop more culturally informed abuse prevention approaches.
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Cho HS, Cheah CSL, Vu KTT, Selçuk B, Yavuz HM, Şen HH, Park SY. Culturally shared and unique meanings and expressions of maternal control across four cultures. Dev Psychol 2020; 57:284-301. [PMID: 33346676 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Maternal control is a major dimension of parenting and has different meanings, practices, and potential consequences across cultures. The present study aimed to identify and compare mothers' conceptualizations of parenting control across four cultures to reveal a more nuanced understanding regarding the meaning and practices of control: European American, Chinese immigrant, Korean immigrant, and Turkish. Using a semistructured open-ended interview, 100 European American, 102 U.S. Chinese immigrant, 103 U.S. Korean immigrant, and 109 Turkish mothers of preschool-aged children reported the ratings of importance, specific reasons, and strategies for exerting control over their children in daily life. Results revealed both shared and unique conceptualizations of maternal control across four cultures. Specifically, all mothers reported that it is important to express maternal control over their children in order to set behavioral norms/standards, maintain child safety, support social relations and respect for others, provide guidance, and guide moral development. Moreover, mothers discussed utilizing nonphysical punishment, setting and maintaining rules, reasoning/negotiating, consistency, physical punishment and verbal control, showing parents' serious/stern attitude, correction, and psychological control forms of control. However, the levels at which mothers emphasize the different reasons and strategies varied across cultures, reflecting culturally emphasized values. The findings of the present study further enrich our understanding of the complexities of maternal control across cultures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Su Cho
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
| | | | - Kathy T T Vu
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
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Lee Y, Watson MW. Corporal Punishment and Child Aggression: Ethnic-Level Family Cohesion as a Moderator. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2020; 35:2687-2710. [PMID: 29294739 DOI: 10.1177/0886260517704227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ethnicity has been examined as a putative moderator between parents' use of corporal punishment and children's externalizing behaviors. Yet, the reasons for this potential ethnic-level moderator have not been fully examined. The primary objective of this study was to examine whether the effect of corporal punishment on aggression is ethnic-specific using major racial groups inside and outside the U.S. samples and how the mean levels of cohesion in family relationships as found in different ethnic groups moderate the association between mothers' use of corporal punishment and children's aggression. A total of 729 mothers who had children aged 7 to 13 years were sampled from five ethnic groups (i.e., European American, African American, Hispanic American, Korean, and Chinese). Several hypotheses were tested to examine the moderating effect of ethnic-level, family cohesion on the relation of corporal punishment to children's aggression. As expected, the mean level of family cohesion was significantly different across ethnicities. Consistent results across parallel multilevel and fixed effect models showed that high corporal punishment was associated with more aggression in all ethnicities, but there was a significant variation in the association across ethnicities, and the variation was explained by ethnic-level family cohesion. There were weaker associations between corporal punishment and child aggression among ethnic groups with high family cohesion and stronger associations among ethnic groups with low family cohesion. Ethnic/cultural variation in this study emphasizes the importance of understanding family environment of diverse ethnic groups when evaluating the influence of corporal punishment on child behavior in different ethnic/cultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoona Lee
- Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
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12
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Derella OJ, Burke JD, Stepp SD, Hipwell AE. Reciprocity in Undesirable Parent-Child Behavior? Verbal Aggression, Corporal Punishment, and Girls' Oppositional Defiant Symptoms. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY 2019; 49:420-433. [PMID: 31059308 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2019.1603109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Parental verbal aggression and corporal punishment are associated with children's conduct problems and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). The strength of bidirectional relationships among specific disruptive behaviors has been inconsistent across gender, and the direction of influence between parental aggression and girls' ODD symptoms is particularly understudied. This study tested reciprocal effects between aggressive parent behaviors and girls' ODD dimensions of oppositionality, antagonism, and irritability. Data from the Pittsburgh Girls Study (N = 2,450) were used, including annual child and parent-reported aggressive discipline and girls' parent-reported ODD symptoms between ages 5 and 16. Separate clustered Poisson regression models examined change in parent or child behavior outcomes using predictors lagged by one time point. After controlling for demographic factors, behavior stability, and other disruptive behaviors, parent-reported corporal punishment predicted girls' increasing antagonism and irritability, whereas child-reported corporal punishment was unrelated to ODD symptom change. Both parent- and child-reported verbal aggression predicted increases across ODD dimensions. Girls' oppositionality and antagonism predicted increasing parent-reported verbal aggression over time, but only oppositionality was significantly related to child-reported verbal aggression. Although ODD symptoms were unrelated to change in corporal punishment, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) predicted increasing parental aggression of both types. Bidirectional associations emerged such that parental verbal aggression escalates reciprocally with girls' behavioral ODD symptoms. Verbal aggression contributed to increasing irritability, but irritability did not influence parenting behavior. "Child effects" may be most salient for behavioral ODD symptoms in transaction with verbal aggression and for ADHD symptoms in predicting worsening corporal punishment and verbal aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeffrey D Burke
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut
| | | | - Alison E Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
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Sege RD, Siegel BS, Flaherty EG, Gavril AR, Idzerda SM, Laskey A“T, Legano LA, Leventhal JM, Lukefahr JL, Yogman MW, Baum R, Gambon TB, Lavin A, Mattson G, Montiel-Esparza R, Wissow LS. Effective Discipline to Raise Healthy Children. Pediatrics 2018; 142:peds.2018-3112. [PMID: 30397164 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-3112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pediatricians are a source of advice for parents and guardians concerning the management of child behavior, including discipline strategies that are used to teach appropriate behavior and protect their children and others from the adverse effects of challenging behavior. Aversive disciplinary strategies, including all forms of corporal punishment and yelling at or shaming children, are minimally effective in the short-term and not effective in the long-term. With new evidence, researchers link corporal punishment to an increased risk of negative behavioral, cognitive, psychosocial, and emotional outcomes for children. In this Policy Statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics provides guidance for pediatricians and other child health care providers on educating parents about positive and effective parenting strategies of discipline for children at each stage of development as well as references to educational materials. This statement supports the need for adults to avoid physical punishment and verbal abuse of children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D. Sege
- Center for Community Engaged Medicine, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and
| | - Benjamin S. Siegel
- Departments of Pediatrics and
- Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center and School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
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Crandall A, Ghazarian SR, Deater-Deckard K, Bell MA, Riley AW. The Interface of Maternal Cognitions and Executive Function in Parenting and Child Conduct Problems. FAMILY RELATIONS 2018; 67:339-353. [PMID: 30364561 PMCID: PMC6197061 DOI: 10.1111/fare.12318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the direct and indirect associations of maternal emotion control, executive functioning, and social cognitions maternal with harsh verbal parenting and child behavior and to do so guided by social information processing theory. BACKGROUND Studies have demonstrated a relationship between maternal harsh parenting and increased child conduct problems. However, less is known about how maternal emotion and cognitive control capacities and social cognitions intersect with harsh parenting and child behavior. METHOD Structural equation modeling was used with a convenience sample of 152 mothers from Appalachia who had a child between 3 and 7 years of age. RESULTS Maternal emotion control and executive functioning were both inversely associated with child conduct problems. That is, stronger maternal emotion control was associated with less harsh verbal parenting and lower hostile attribution bias, and higher maternal executive functioning was related to less controlling parenting attitudes. CONCLUSION The results suggest maternal emotion and cognitive control capacities affect how mothers interact with their children and ultimately child conduct problems. IMPLICATIONS To more effectively reduce harsh verbal parenting and child conduct problems, interventions should help mothers to improve their emotion and cognitive control capacities.
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Larzelere RE, Gunnoe ML, Ferguson CJ. Improving Causal Inferences in Meta-analyses of Longitudinal Studies: Spanking as an Illustration. Child Dev 2018; 89:2038-2050. [DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Holden GW, Hawk CK, Smith MM, Singh J, Ashraf R. Disciplinary Practices, Metaparenting, and the Quality of Parent-Child Relationships in African-American, Mexican-American, and European-American Mothers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2017; 41:482-490. [PMID: 28943685 DOI: 10.1177/0165025416687414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Coercive responses to children's behavior are well recognized to be problematic for children's adjustment. Less well understood is how parental social cognition is linked to discipline. In this study we sought to link metaparenting - parents' thoughts about their parenting - to the use of coercive discipline. We predicted that mothers who engaged in more metaparenting, thus reflecting more deliberate parenting, would use corporal punishment less frequently and instead engage in non-coercive discipline. We also expected that mothers who engaged in more metaparenting would report closer relationships with their children. In order to assess a diverse sample, data were collected from approximately equal numbers of African-American, European-American, and Mexican-American mothers. Participants included 113 mothers with target children in three age groups, ranging from 2 to 12 years. The results indicated reports of corporal punishment as well as non-coercive discipline did not significantly differ across child sex and child age groups, but did differ significantly across race/ethnicity. Reports of frequency of metaparenting also differed across racial/ethnic groups; African-American mothers reported more metaparenting than European-American mothers on three of four subscales. Metaparenting was significantly related to reports of the mother-child relationship but in the opposite direction than predicted. Based on these results, future research directions linking parental social cognition to discipline are proposed.
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Okuzono S, Fujiwara T, Kato T, Kawachi I. Spanking and subsequent behavioral problems in toddlers: A propensity score-matched, prospective study in Japan. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2017; 69:62-71. [PMID: 28448815 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 03/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Harsh or frequent spanking in early childhood is an established risk factor for later childhood behavioral problems as well as mental disorder in adulthood in Western societies. However, few studies have been conducted in Asian populations, where corporal punishment is relatively accepted. Moreover, the impacts of occasional spanking on subsequent behavioral problems remain uncertain. This study sought to investigate prospectively the association between the frequency of spanking of toddlers and later behavioral problems in Japanese children using national birth cohort data. We used data from the Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the 21st Century, a population-based birth cohort data set collected by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (N=29,182). Frequency of spanking ("never", "sometimes" and "always") and child behavioral problems were assessed via a caregiver questionnaire when the child was 3.5 years old and again at 5.5 years. Propensity score matching was used to examine the association between frequency of spanking and child behavioral problems, adjusting for parental socioeconomic status, child temperament and parenting behaviors. Compared to children who were never spanked, occasional spanking ("sometimes") showed a higher number of behavioral problems (on a 6-point scale) (coefficient: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.07-0.15), and frequent spanking ("always") showed an even larger number of behavioral problems compared with "sometimes" (coefficient: 0.08, 95% CI:0.01-0.16). Spanking of any self-reported frequency was associated with an increased risk for later behavioral problems in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakurako Okuzono
- Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Fujiwara
- Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Tsuguhiko Kato
- Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Piché G, Huỳnh C, Clément MÈ, Durrant JE. Predicting externalizing and prosocial behaviors in children from parental use of corporal punishment. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Geneviève Piché
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology; Université du Québec en Outaouais; Saint-Jerome Canada
- Institut universitaire sur les dépendances - Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal; Canada
- Canadian Research Chair on Violence against Children; Université du Québec en Outaouais; Saint-Jerome Canada
| | - Christophe Huỳnh
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology; Université du Québec en Outaouais; Saint-Jerome Canada
- Institut universitaire sur les dépendances - Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal; Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Clément
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology; Université du Québec en Outaouais; Saint-Jerome Canada
- Canadian Research Chair on Violence against Children; Université du Québec en Outaouais; Saint-Jerome Canada
| | - Joan E. Durrant
- Department of Community Health Sciences; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg Canada
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Bombi AS, Di Norcia A, Di Giunta L, Pastorelli C, Lansford JE. Parenting Practices and Child Misbehavior: A Mixed Method Study of Italian Mothers and Children. PARENTING, SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2015; 15:207-228. [PMID: 26877716 PMCID: PMC4748738 DOI: 10.1080/15295192.2015.1053326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study uses a mixed qualitative and quantitative method to examine three main research questions: What are the practices that mothers report they use when trying to correct their children's misbehaviors? Are there common patterns of these practices? Are the patterns that emerge related to children's well-being? DESIGN Italian mother-child dyads (N=103) participated in the study (when children were 8 years of age). At Time 1 (T1), mothers answered open-ended questions about discipline; in addition, measures of maternal physical discipline and rejection and child aggression were assessed in mothers and children at T1, one year later (T2), and two years later (T3). RESULTS Mothers' answers to open-ended questions about what they would do in three disciplinary situations were classified in six categories: physical or psychological punishment, control, mix of force and reasoning, reasoning, listening, and permissiveness. Cluster analysis yielded 3 clusters: Group 1, Induction (predominant use of reasoning and listening; 74%); Group 2, Punishment (punitive practices and no reasoning; 16%); Group 3, Mixed practices (combination of reasoning and punishment, as well as high control and no listening; 10%). Multiple-group latent growth curves of maternal physical discipline, maternal rejection, and child aggression were implemented to evaluate possible differences in the developmental trends from T1 to T3, as a function of cluster. CONCLUSIONS Qualitative data deepen understanding of parenting because they shed light on what parents think about themselves; their self-descriptions, in turn, help to identify ways of parenting that may have long-lasting consequences for children's adjustment.
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Lee YE, Brophy-Herb HE, Vallotton CD, Griffore RJ, Carlson JS, Robinson JL. Do Young Children's Representations of Discipline and Empathy Moderate the Effects of Punishment on Emotion Regulation? SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Perron JL, Lee CM, Laroche KJ, Ateah C, Clément MÈ, Chan K. Child and Parent Characteristics Associated With Canadian Parents’ Reports of Spanking. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.7870/cjcmh-2014-014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Holden GW, Brown AS, Baldwin AS, Croft Caderao K. Research findings can change attitudes about corporal punishment. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2014; 38:902-8. [PMID: 24246718 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Revised: 10/14/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Positive attitudes toward the use of corporal punishment (CP) predict subsequent spanking behavior. Given that CP has frequently been associated with behavior problems in children and child maltreatment, this prevention work was designed to test whether adults' attitudes could be changed by informing participants about the research findings on problematic behaviors associated with CP. Two random assignment studies are reported. In Study 1, we tested whether an active reading condition would result in more attitude change than a passive condition. With a sample of 118 non-parent adults, we found that after reading very brief research summaries on the problems associated with CP, there was a significant decrease in favorable attitudes toward CP. Contrary to expectations, the magnitude of the change was comparable for active and passive processing conditions. In Study 2, we extended our approach to a sample of 520 parents and included a control group. A significant decrease in positive attitudes toward spanking was observed in the intervention group, but no change for the control group. Parents who were unaware of the research showed more change after reading the summaries. Thus, these studies demonstrate that a brief and cost-effective approach to raise awareness of research findings can reduce positive attitudes toward CP. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- George W Holden
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, USA.
| | - Alan S Brown
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, USA
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Coley RL, Kull MA, Carrano J. Parental endorsement of spanking and children's internalizing and externalizing problems in African American and Hispanic families. JOURNAL OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY : JFP : JOURNAL OF THE DIVISION OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (DIVISION 43) 2014; 28:22-31. [PMID: 24364363 PMCID: PMC3956060 DOI: 10.1037/a0035272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
This study assessed prospective, bidirectional associations between maternal endorsement of spanking and children's internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in low-income urban African American and Hispanic (N = 592) families drawn from the Three City Study. Children in sample families were followed from early childhood through middle childhood with 3 sets of interviews and assessments at ages 3, 4, and 9 years. Cross-lagged path analyses tested longitudinal bidirectional associations between parental endorsement of spanking and children's internalizing and externalizing problems, with multigroup comparisons employed to test group differences between race/ethnic groups. African American and Hispanic mothers showed similar endorsements of spanking. Results suggest that associations between spanking endorsement and child functioning were due primarily to parenting effects, with spanking predicting changes in children's behaviors, rather than child evocative effects, with limited evidence of child behaviors predicting changes in parental spanking. Maternal spanking endorsement predicted short-term decreases in children's internalizing problems in early childhood, but over the longer term spanking was associated with increased internalizing and externalizing problems for both African American and Hispanic children in middle childhood among economically disadvantaged families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Levine Coley
- Applied Developmental & Educational Psychology, Boston College, Campion Hall 239A, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. Phone: 617.552.6018. Fax: 617.552.1981.
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Lansford JE, Staples AD, Bates JE, Pettit GS, Dodge KA. Trajectories of Mothers' Discipline Strategies and Interparental Conflict: Interrelated Change during Middle Childhood. JOURNAL OF FAMILY COMMUNICATION 2013; 13:178-195. [PMID: 24089598 PMCID: PMC3786602 DOI: 10.1080/15267431.2013.796947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Using data collected annually when children were in kindergarten through 3rd grade (N = 478), this study investigated changes in mothers' use of nonharsh, harsh verbal, and physical discipline; changes in interparental conflict; and associations between changes in discipline and interparental conflict. Controlling for potential confounds, physical discipline decreased over the course of middle childhood, whereas harsh verbal and nonharsh discipline remained stable. Increases in interparental conflict were associated with increases in physical discipline; decreases in interparental conflict were associated with decreases in physical discipline. Change in interparental conflict was unrelated to change in harsh verbal or nonharsh discipline, although more frequent interparental conflict was associated with more frequen10t use of all three types of discipline in 1st grade. Findings extend previous research on how two major forms of communication within families-conflict between parents and parents' attempts to influence their children through discipline-change across middle childhood.
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