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If I shouldn't spank, what should I do? Behavioural techniques for disciplining children
1Montreal Children's Hospital.
Insights
Effective discipline strategies require a comprehensive assessment of children, parents, and their relationship. Physicians can guide parents, but ongoing monitoring and reassessment are crucial for successful interventions when initial methods fail.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Family Medicine
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Child discipline is a common concern for family physicians.
- Parenting strategies and their effectiveness are subjects of ongoing research and debate.
- Previous research has explored various discipline techniques, including the controversy surrounding spanking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To equip family physicians with a framework for evaluating child discipline issues.
- To offer guidance for parents facing discipline challenges.
- To assist physicians in diagnosing underlying problems when standard discipline advice is ineffective.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases (1990-present).
- Inclusion of case-control studies, expert opinions, and position statements from major pediatric societies.
- Consideration of research on discipline techniques and controversies, such as spanking.
Main Results:
- Comprehensive evaluation involves assessing children, parents, parenting skills, and parental stressors.
- Effective discipline techniques exist that are alternatives to spanking.
- Physicians play a key role in reviewing strategies, guiding parents, and monitoring progress.
Conclusions:
- Child discipline problems are multifaceted, necessitating thorough assessment.
- Parental guidance requires continuous follow-up and reevaluation if interventions are unsuccessful.
Objective:
To provide family physicians with a guide for evaluating discipline problems, giving suggestions for parental guidance, and diagnosing problems when discipline guidance fails.
Quality Of Evidence:
A MEDLINE and PsycINFO search from 1990 to the present produced articles reviewing research on aspects of discipline. Case-control studies, expert opinion, and position statements published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Paediatric Society were chosen as a basis for this article. In a special supplement in 1996, a pediatric journal reviewed the controversy of spanking as an effective disciplinary method, with comments by noted researchers and clinicians. Other authors reviewed research evaluating discipline techniques.
Main Message:
Discipline problems require evaluation of children, parents, and parent-child relationships, including assessment of child development and evaluation of parenting skills and parental stressors. Parents can learn techniques more effective than spanking. Physicians can review discipline strategies and guide parents through difficult situations. Monitoring progress is important, and immediate reassessment of the situation if techniques are failing or referral to a specialist will increase the chances of a successful intervention.
Conclusion:
Discipline problems are complex and require careful assessment. Guiding parents during these types of problems requires close follow up and reevaluation when methods do not have the expected effect.