ArticleBMJ open2023
Associations between 11 parental discipline behaviours and child outcomes across 60 countries.
Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- A Snapshot of Clinical Psychology Trainees' Exposure to Parenting Approaches and Attitudes Toward Child Rights.Clinical child psychology and psychiatry · 2026Article
- Digital Screen Time and Mental Health Difficulties Among Preschool Children in Western China: Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Development of the ROOTS Intervention: A Culturally Relevant Parenting Program for Promoting the Emotional and Physical Health of Young Children.Journal of community psychology · 2026Article
- Parental violent discipline and adolescent health: is there a different effect when one or both parents are involved?European journal of public health · 2026Article
- Associations between dysfunctional parental discipline and parent-reported mental health outcomes in preschoolers: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- The Practice of Shaking in Disciplining Young Children in Lower-Income Communities of Bangladesh: Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2025Article
- A Scoping Review of Parenting Interventions with a Dual Focus on Improving Child Emotional and Physical Health.Research square · 2025Article
- Co-occurrence and associated factors of developmental delay, functional disability, and undernutrition in early childhood: evidence from 15 population-based surveys in sub-Saharan African countries.EClinicalMedicine · 2025Article
- Orphan discipline and child neglect: An analysis from 48 countries.Child abuse & neglect · 2025Article
- PARENTAL RESPONSE AND COPING STRATEGIES FOR ADOLESCENTS' BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS: A COMMUNITY-BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.Annals of Ibadan postgraduate medicine · 2025Article
- Associations Between Parenting Stress, Parenting Behaviours and Language Abilities in Autistic Preschoolers: A Study with Mothers and Fathers.Autism & developmental language impairmentsArticle
- Interactions of gender inequality and parental discipline predicting child aggression in low- and middle-income countries.Child developmentArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo test associations between 11 caregiver aggressive and non-aggressive discipline behaviours and outcomes (aggression, distraction and prosocial peer relations) of children under 5 years in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).
participantsData came from the fourth (2009-2013) and fifth (2012-2017) rounds of the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Analyses were restricted to households with children under 5 years, leaving a sample of 229 465 respondents across 60 LMICs. Data were analysed using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression.
resultsVerbal reasoning (80%) and shouting (66%) were the most common parental discipline behaviours towards young children. Psychological and physical aggression were associated with higher child aggression and distraction. Compared with not using verbal reasoning, verbal reasoning was associated with lower odds of aggression (OR)=0.92, 95% credible interval (CI)=0.86 to 0.99) and higher odds of prosocial peer relations (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.20 to 1.42). Taking away privileges was associated with higher odds of distraction (OR=1.09, 95% CI=1.03 to 1.15) and lower odds of prosocial peer relations (OR=0.92, 95% CI=0.87 to 0.98). Giving the child something else to do was associated with higher odds of distraction (OR=1.06, 95% CI=1.01 to 1.12). The results indicated country-level variation in the associations between parenting behaviours and child socioemotional outcomes.
conclusionsPsychological and physical aggression were disadvantageous for children's socioemotional development across countries. Only verbal reasoning was associated with positive child socioemotional development. No form of psychological aggression or physical aggression benefited child socioemotional development in any country. Greater emphasis should be dedicated to reducing parental use of psychological and physical aggression across cultural contexts.
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