Caregiver preferences for physically harsh discipline of children in rural Uganda.
J Fam Violence
; 39(5): 861-874, 2024 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38962696
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
Physically harsh discipline is associated with poor developmental outcomes among children. These practices are more prevalent in areas experiencing poverty and resource scarcity, including in low- and middle-income countries. Designed to limit social desirability bias, this cross-sectional study in rural Uganda estimated caregiver preferences for physically harsh discipline; differences by caregiver sex, child sex, and setting; and associations with indicators of household economic stress and insecurity.Method:
Three-hundred-fifty adult caregivers were shown six hypothetical pictographic scenarios depicting children whining, spilling a drink, and kicking a caregiver. Girls and boys were depicted engaging in each of the three behaviors. Approximately half of the participants were shown scenes from a market setting and half were shown scenes from a household setting. For each scenario, caregivers reported the discipline strategy they would use (time out, beating, discussing, yelling, ignoring, slapping).Results:
Two thirds of the participants selected a physically harsh discipline strategy (beating, slapping) at least once. Women selected more physically harsh discipline strategies than men (b = 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26 to 0.54). Participants shown scenes from the market selected fewer physically harsh discipline strategies than participants shown scenes from the household (b = -0.51; 95% CI, -0.69 to -0.33). Finally, caregivers selected more physically harsh discipline strategies in response to boys than girls. Indicators of economic insecurity were inconsistently associated with preferences for physically harsh discipline.Conclusions:
The high prevalence of physically harsh discipline preferences warrant interventions aimed at reframing caregivers' approaches to discipline.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
En
Journal:
J Fam Violence
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Estados Unidos
Country of publication:
Estados Unidos