A child’s mental health is determined by multiple factors. Gender, physical health, and socio-economic status all play a role. Genetics may also play a role. However, new research shows that parenting style also plays a role, and harsh discipline may not be very good for children.
“Go back in time”
Parents have different ways of disciplining their children. Some try to provide incentives and positive motivation. Some people rely on punishment or a combination of both. Hostile parenting often involves harsh physical or psychological discipline. These parents isolate their children by regularly yelling at them or using physical punishment when they misbehave. Some even punish their children based on their current mood.
This approach damages children’s self-esteem and, according to new research, also increases their risk of mental health problems.
The research was led by Ioannis Katsantonis, a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Education at the University of Cambridge, and Jennifer Symonds, an associate professor in the School of Education, University College Dublin. They studied 7,500 children in Ireland. All children were surveyed at ages 3, 5, and 9 years. The so-called Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire measures the extent to which children externalize or internalize symptoms related to mental health problems. Parents were also profiled based on how much they lean toward one of her three parenting styles:
- Warm parenting (being cooperative and attentive to the child’s needs).
- Be consistent (provide support but also clear expectations).
- hostile.
Overall, 83.5% of children were found to be low risk. Another one (6.43%) was at mild risk. However, a surprising number of children (10.07%) were found to be at high risk. Additionally, hostile parenting made her 1.5 times more likely to have children in this high-risk group. Other differences between her two parenting styles did not have a significant impact.
Set boundaries within reason
The researchers say the main takeaway is that hostile parenting appears to be causing unnecessary mental health problems in children.
“The fact that one in 10 children is in a high-risk category for mental health problems is a matter of concern, and we need to recognize what role parenting plays in this.” said Katsantonis. “We do not argue that parents should not set clear boundaries for their children’s behavior, but it is difficult to justify frequent harsh discipline when considering the impact on mental health. .”
Professor Simmons said: “Our findings suggest that parents can be supported to provide a warm and positive upbringing for their children, particularly where wider circumstances put them at risk of poor mental health. “We emphasize the importance of taking all possible measures to ensure that Avoiding a hostile emotional environment in the home won’t necessarily prevent poor mental health from occurring, but it may help. ”
Individualized support and guidance is essential for children considered to be at high risk. Similarly, guidance and training for new parents can be helpful and reduce the number of children facing mental health problems.
“Appropriate support may be as simple as giving new parents clear and up-to-date information about how best to manage young children’s behavior in different situations,” Katsantonis concludes. “It’s clear that parenting styles run the risk of exacerbating mental health risks. This is a step we can easily take.”
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