Interaction of Parental Discipline Strategies and Adolescents’ Personality Traits in the Prediction of Child-to-Parent Violence / Interacción entre estrategias de disciplina parental y rasgos de personalidad de los adolescentes en la predicción de la violencia filioparental

Background: Child-to-parent violence is a family issue that needs a systemic and integral approach for its evaluation. The main objective of this longitudinal study was to assess the moderating effects of adolescents’ borderline personality and psychopathic traits (grandiose-manipulative, callous-unemotional, and impulsive-irresponsible dimensions) in the predictive association between inadequate parental strategies (psychological aggression, corporal punishment, and ignoring misbehavior) and child-to-parent violence. Sex differences were analyzed. Method: The community sample comprised 671 adolescents aged from 12 to 17 years old (Mage = 13.39, SD = 1.15; 50.8% girls, 47.7% boys, and 1.5% non-binary), assessed twice, six months apart from each other. Results: Results showed slightly different patterns of violence towards fathers and mothers – ignoring misbehavior predicted aggression toward mothers, while psychological aggression predicted aggression toward fathers. Moderation analyses showed that the predictive association from ignoring misbehavior to both child-to-father violence (CFV) and child-to-mother violence (CMV) was only significant for adolescents who were high in the psychopathic trait of callous-unemotional, and the predictive association from psychological aggression to CFV was only significant in those adolescents who scored low in the borderline personality trait. Some sex specificities emerged. Conclusions: These findings support the relevance of working on parents’ discipline strategies and add the need to work on adolescents’ emotional regulation to prevent or deal with child-to-parent violence. (AU)

Antecedentes: La violencia filioparental (VFP) es una problemática familiar cuya evaluación requiere una perspectiva sistémica e integral. El objetivo principal de este estudio longitudinal fue evaluar los efectos moderadores de los rasgos límite y psicopáticos (dimensiones grandiosa-manipulativa, fría-insensible e impulsiva-irresponsable) en adolescentes en la relación predictiva entre estrategias inadecuadas parentales (agresión psicológica, castigo físico e ignorar el mal comportamiento) y la VFP. Se analizaron diferencias por sexo de los adolescentes. Método: La muestra comunitaria estuvo compuesta por 671 adolescentes, de edades comprendidas entre 12 y 17 años (Medad = 13.39, SD = 1.15; 50.8% chicas, 47.7% chicos y 1.5% no binarios), evaluadas en dos momentos con seis meses de diferencia. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron patrones ligeramente diferentes en la violencia hacia padres y madres: ignorar el mal comportamiento predijo la violencia hacia los madres, mientras que la agresión psicológica predijo la la violencia hacia los padres. Los análisis de moderación mostraron que la asociación predictiva entre ignorar el mal comportamiento y la violencia hacia ambos progenitores era significativa solo en adolescentes con rasgos elevados de frialdad emocional y que la relación predictiva entre agresión psicológica y violencia hacia el padre fue significativa solamente en adolescentes con bajos niveles de rasgos límite. Se observaron algunas especificidades según el sexo de los adolescentes. Conclusiones: Estos resultados abundan en la importancia de trabajar en las estrategias de disciplina parentales y en la regulación emocional de los adolescentes en la prevención de la VFP o en su intervención. (AU)

Parental Discipline Techniques and Changes in Observed Temper Tantrum Severity in Toddlers.

Although temper tantrums are considered a normal part of emotional development in toddlerhood, for some they foreshadow more serious behavioral and emotional problems. Parental discipline techniques may play a role in explaining why this behavior worsens for some children whereas for others it fades away. With this three-wave longitudinal study, we examined bidirectional associations between specific discipline techniques - ignoring, power assertion, and consistency - and intra-individual changes in the severity of tantrum behavior. We observed tantrum behavior in a standardized clean-up task, overcoming the limitation of most earlier work that relied on parent-report for associated changes in parenting and child behavior over time. For 94 children (53 boys; Mage = 30 months, range 20-43 months), mothers filled out the Parenting Dimensions Inventory, and temper tantrum severity (i.e., duration and aggressiveness) was coded three times across one year. Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models suggested parent-effects rather than child-effects: more maternal power assertion and less consistency predicted increases in tantrum severity over time (ignoring did not), but temper tantrum severity did not predict changes in parenting over time. Results indicate that reducing power assertion and increasing consistency may be especially helpful in reducing temper tantrums in children. Findings add to previous findings indicating that mothers' parenting may be driven less by objective child behavior than by her own perceptions of her child's behavior.

Parenting styles and health in mid- and late life: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study.

BACKGROUNDS: The impact of relationships in early childhood may be long-lasting and reaching to mid to late life. Limited studies have investigated the associations between parenting style and different aspects of well-being beyond adolescence. The current study aims to examine the association between parenting styles and multiple dimensions of functioning in mid-and later-life adults. METHODS: We used data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was applied to examine the association between retrospective parenting styles/behaviors in childhood and health outcome. RESULTS: Compared with authoritative style, authoritarian style predicted worse self-rated health (coefficient = - 0.13, P < 0.001), cognitive function (- 0.23, P < 0.05) and depressive symptom (0.87, P < 0.001). Paternal affection was associated with more health outcome in mid- and late life than maternal affection. Only paternal affection was a significant predictor of mid- and late life health among male adults, while both paternal and maternal affection were strong predictors among female adults. Authoritative style was associated more positive health outcomes in mid- and late life among adults with literate parents than those with illiterate parents. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence for the link between parenting behaviors in early life stage and physical and psychological functioning in mid- to late adulthood. Authoritative style, and the memory of parental affection, particularly from father and educated parents, could have long-lasting positive influence on children's physical and mental well-being, which further support the life-course perspective on human development.

Teorías Subjetivas sobre disciplina parental: perspectiva de los profesionales en trabajo social y psicología / Subjective Theories on Parental Discipline: A Perspective of Social Workers and Psychologists

Resumen Objetivo. Reconstruir las teorías subjetivas de profesionales en trabajo social y psicología sobre la disciplina parental. Método. Es una investigación cualitativa con diseño descriptivo. Se realizaron entrevistas individuales a siete profesionales en trabajo social y siete en psicología de la cuarta región de Chile. El análisis de datos utilizó codificaciones mediante el software ATLAS.ti. Resultados. Se demostró que los consejos de disciplina parental se conforman por la formación profesional de pre y posgrado, la experiencia laboral en programas con familias y elementos personales relacionados con historia de vida y parentalidad. Es así que los consejos se basan principalmente en teorías subjetivas y profesionales que se relacionan con teorías formales. Se observan diferencias en los consejos que entregan ambas profesiones.

Abstract Objective. To reconstruct the subjective theories of social workers and psychologists regarding parental discipline. Method. The following research is qualitative, and it was carried out through a descriptive type of design. Individual interviews were conducted to seven social workers and seven psychologists from the fourth region of Chile. The analysis of the collected data was performed through the grounded theory using encodings from the ATLAS.ti. software. Results. It is shown that the pieces of advice regarding parental discipline are strongly influenced by the professional training, the working experience, and some personal elements and conceptions of the interviewed professionals. Some differences are observed regarding the pieces of advice provided from both professional perspectives.

The exposure of children with and without disabilities to violent parental discipline: Cross-sectional surveys in 17 middle- and low-income countries.

BACKGROUND: Children with disabilities in high-income countries are more likely than their peers to be exposed to violence. To date, only two studies have reported nationally robust data on the association between child disabilities and exposure to violent parental discipline. OBJECTIVE: To estimate prevalence rates and adjusted rate ratios of exposure to violent parental discipline among children with and without disabilities in middle- and low-income countries. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Nationally representative samples involving a total of 206,147 children aged 2-14 from 17 countries. METHODS: Secondary analysis of data collected in UNICEF's Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. RESULTS: Children with disabilities were at significantly greater risk of exposure than children without disabilities to all eight forms of violent parental discipline and the total number of forms they were exposed to. For what could be considered the most abusive form of violent discipline (beating a child up 'as hard as one could') they were 71 % more likely to have been exposed in the previous month than other children (age and gender adjusted prevalence rate ratio = 1.71 (95 %CI 1.64-1.78), p < 0.001). Children with functioning difficulties related to poorer mental health or cognitive functioning were at significantly greater risk of exposure to violent parental discipline. In contrast, children with impairments related to sensory functioning, mobility and expressive communication were at no greater risk of exposure than children without disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Children with disabilities are at greater risk of exposure to all forms of violent parental discipline than children without disabilities in middle- and low-income countries.

Parenting Practices as Risk or Preventive Factors for Adolescent Involvement in Cyberbullying: Contribution of Children and Parent Gender.

Literature points out the role of parenting on adolescent cyberbullying involvement. However, it is necessary to clarify how gender affects this relationship. The aim of this study has been to examine the relation between the adolescents' perception about parenting practices, and their involvement in cyberbullying, bearing in mind both girls' and boys' gender and progenitors' gender. The sample comprised 2060 Spanish secondary school students (47.9% girls; Mage = 14.34). Two-way ANOVA and binary logistic regression analyses were carried out. An effect of the interaction between sex and cyberbullying roles in maternal affection and communication, inductive discipline, and psychological control, as well as paternal promotion of autonomy and psychological control, was found. In general, it can be observed that the more negative results were found in cyber-aggressors, especially when this role is assumed by girls. The results of logistic regression analysis suggest that parenting practices explain better cyberbullying involvement in girls compared to boys, finding some important differences between both sexes regarding protective and risk factors. These findings highlight the importance of parenting practices to explain cyberbullying involvement, which supports the necessity of including family among the addresses of intervention programs.

Family management risk and protective factors for adolescent substance use in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: An increasingly recognised prevention approach for substance use entails a reduction in risk factors, and the enhancement of promotive, or protective factors in individuals and the environment surrounding them during their growth and development. METHODS: This exploratory study evaluated the effect of potential risk and protective factors associated with family management relating to adolescent substance use in South Africa. Exploratory analysis and cumulative odds ordinal logistic regression modelling was performed on the data, while controlling for the influence of demographic and socio-economic characteristics on adolescent substance use. RESULTS: The most frequently used substances were cannabis, followed by other illicit substances and alcohol in decreasing order of use intensity. The specific protective, or risk effect of family management factors, varied according to substance. Risk factors associated with demographic and socio-economic factors included being male, of a younger age, lower education grades, of a coloured ethnicity, adolescents from divorced parents, and unemployed or fully employed mothers. Several family management factors, categorised as parental monitoring, discipline, behavioural control and rewards, demonstrated either risk or protective effects on adolescent substance use. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study demonstrated that various risk and protective factors associated with family management may affect adolescent substance use. Interaction amongst risk or protective factors, as well as the type of substance, should be considered when further considering interventions based on these risk or protective factors.

Theory-of-Mind Development and Early Sibling Relationships after the Birth of a Sibling: Parental Discipline Matters.

This study investigated relations among children's Theory-of-Mind (ToM) development, early sibling interactions, and parental discipline strategies during the transition to siblinghood. Using a sample of firstborn children and their parents (N = 208), we assessed children's ToM before the birth of a sibling and 12 months after the birth, and sibling interactions (i.e., positive engagement and antagonism) and parental discipline strategies (i.e., child-centred and parent-centred discipline) at 4 and 8 months in the first year of siblinghood. Structural equation modelling analyses revealed that children's ToM before the birth of the sibling predicted children's positive engagement with the infant sibling, whereas children's antagonistic behaviours towards the infant sibling negatively predicted children's ToM at 12 months, but only when mothers used low levels of child-centred discipline. These findings emphasize the role of parents in the development of young children's social- cognitive understanding in the context of sibling interactions even as early as the first year after the sibling's birth.

Parental Self-Assessment of Behavioral Effectiveness in Young Children and Views on Corporal Punishment in an Academic Pediatric Practice.

This article assesses parental confidence and current behavioral techniques used by mostly African American caregivers of young children in an urban Southeastern setting, including their use and attitudes toward corporal punishment (CP). Two hundred and fifty parental participants of children aged 18 months to 5 years completed a survey on factors affecting their behavioral management and views on CP. Statistical analysis included χ2 test and logistic regression with confidence interval significance determined at P <.05. Significant associations of CP usage were found in parents who were themselves exposed to CP and parental level of frustration with child disobedience. A total of 40.2% of respondents answered that they had not received any discipline strategies from pediatricians and 47.6% were interested in receiving more behavioral strategies. Clear opportunities exist for pediatricians to provide information on evidence-based disciplinary techniques, and these discussions may be facilitated through the creation of a No Hit Zone program in the pediatric practice.

Violence against children in Afghanistan: Concerns and opportunities for positive change.

Violence against children (VAC) in Afghanistan is a serious issue in the context of many decades of conflict and poverty. To date, limited studies have explored the extent of VAC in Afghanistan and the settings where VAC takes place. To understand (i) the extent of VAC, (ii) settings where VAC takes place, (iii) parental forms of VAC and (iv) regional differences, an interview administered cross-sectional survey was employed among a community sample of 145 children and 104 parents living within Kabul, Torkham, and Jalalabad. Demographic information was collected as well as items from the International Child Abuse Screening Tool (ICAST-CH). In this study, 71% of children reported experiencing physical violence is some form in the past year. Home was the most likely location of violence. The overwhelming majority of parents reported using physical violence as a discipline method. Parents who attained higher levels of education and had more skilled occupations used violence less as a discipline method. However, consistent with international research, children cited their parents as their preferred source of support in situations of violence. Interestingly, parents did not see violent forms of discipline as more effective than non-violent strategies. The results offer a disturbing yet 'on the ground' insight into VAC in Afghanistan from the experience of children and parents. The results have important implications for programming design and provide a focus for stopping and preventing VAC in Afghanistan and similar contexts.

The correlation of the delinquent behaviors of institutionalized children in conflict with the law with parental discipline, peer delinquency and neighborhood disorganization / The Health Sciences Journal

Introduction @#The increasing prevalence of children in conflict with the law is a problem in Metro Manila. This study aimed to understand the factors, specifically parental discipline, peer delinquency, and neighborhood disorganization that predispose a child to engage in delinquent acts.@*Methods@#This was a correlational study in which children in conflict with the law who were institutionalized at the Manila Youth Reception Center were surveyed. The subjects were given three sets of questionnaires which measured parental discipline, peer delinquency, and neighborhood disorganization, respectively. Spearman's rho correlation coefficient was computed using SPSS.@*Results@#Delinquent behavior is very weakly and positively correlated with peer delinquency (r = 0.18) and neighborhood status (r = 0.10), and is very weakly and inversely correlated with parental discipline (r - -0.10. These correlations were not statistically significant. @*Conclusion @#The study showed that parental discipline, peer delinquency, and neighborhood disorganization may influence a child's delinquent behavior.

Socioeconomic Status and Internalizing Symptoms in Chilean Children: Does Reserve Capacity Matter?

Informed by the reserve capacity model, we examined pathways between socioeconomic status (SES) and internalizing symptoms (IS) in 1119 Chilean 10-year-olds. Mediators included parental disciplinary style and reserve capacity resources (RCR), namely home environment, parent-child engagement, and self-esteem, and conduct problems. Using structural equation modeling, the model was stratified by gender. For boys, the SES-IS relationship was mediated by the home environment and parental disciplinary style. For girls, the SES-IS relationship was mediated by the home environment, parent-child engagement, self-esteem, and conduct problems. Findings suggest different RCR may protect against IS in a sample of Chilean children.

Wait until your father gets home? Mother's and fathers' spanking and development of child aggression.

This study examined whether fathers' and mothers' spanking contributed to development of child aggression in the first 5 years of life. We selected parents (N =1,298) who were married or cohabiting across all waves of data collection. Cross-lagged path models examined fathers', mothers', and both parents' within-time and longitudinal associations between spanking and child aggression when the child was 1, 3, and 5 years of age. Results indicated that mothers spanked more than fathers. When examining fathers only, fathers' spanking was not associated with subsequent child aggression. When examining both parents concurrently, only mothers' spanking was predictive of subsequent child aggression. We found no evidence of multiplicative effects when testing interactions examining whether frequent spanking by either fathers or mothers was predictive of increases in children's aggression. This study suggests that the processes linking spanking to child aggression differ for mothers and fathers.

Disrupting intergenerational continuity in harsh and abusive parenting: the importance of a nurturing relationship with a romantic partner.

PURPOSE: Harsh, abusive, and rejecting behavior by parents toward their children is associated with increased risk for many developmental problems for youth. Earlier research also shows that children raised by harsh parents are more likely to treat their own children harshly. The present study evaluated nurturing and supportive behaviors of spouses or cohabiting romantic partners hypothesized to strengthen co-parent relationships and help break this intergenerational cycle of harsh parenting. METHODS: Data come from the Family Transitions Project, a 22-year, 3-generation study of a cohort of over 500 early adolescents (G2) grown to adulthood. During adolescence, observers rated G1 (parent of G2) harsh parenting to G2. Several years later, observers rated G2 harsh parenting toward their oldest child (G3). In addition, G2's romantic partner (spouse or cohabiting partner) was rated by observers on a range of behaviors expected to affect G2 harsh parenting. RESULTS: Romantic partner warmth and positive communication with G2 were associated with less G2 harsh parenting toward G3 (a compensatory or main effect) and when these partner behaviors were high, there was no evidence of intergenerational continuity from G1 to G2 harsh parenting (a moderating or protective effect). G1 harsh parenting slightly decreased the likelihood that G2 would select a supportive spouse or romantic partner (evidence of cumulative continuity). CONCLUSIONS: Romantic partner warmth and positive communication appear to disrupt continuity in harsh and abusive parenting. As appropriate, preventive interventions designed to reduce risk for child maltreatment should include a focus on spousal or partner behaviors in their educational or treatment programs.