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Parenting and discipline in post-conflict Sierra Leone
Stephanie Simmons Zuilkowski1, Elyse Joan Thulin2, Kristen McLean3
1Florida State University, University Center C4600, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, United States.
Child Abuse & Neglect
|August 25, 2019
Summary
Physical discipline is common and accepted in Sierra Leone, despite negative effects. Caregivers feel child rights initiatives hinder traditional parenting, suggesting a need for grassroots approaches to child discipline.
Area of Science:
- Child development
- Sociology
- Public health
Background:
- Physical punishment literature indicates negative effects, yet remains prevalent globally.
- Post-conflict nations with NGOs face challenges balancing traditional practices with international child rights.
- Sierra Leone's context of conflict, poverty, and weak governance necessitates NGO involvement in social services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Sierra Leonean caregivers' perceptions of appropriate child discipline.
- To explore changes in caregivers' attitudes toward disciplinary practices post-war.
Main Methods:
- Data collected from parents and caregivers across urban, peri-urban, and rural Sierra Leone in 2013.
- Utilized 12 focus groups (n=92) and 21 individual interviews.
- Employed thematic content analysis with Krio and English-speaking research assistants.
Main Results:
- Physical discipline, termed 'beating,' is widely accepted and practiced.
- Withholding food was mentioned as another disciplinary method.
- Caregivers reported parenting changes post-war and perceived child rights movements as obstacles to traditional discipline.
Conclusions:
- Discipline is viewed as crucial for child-rearing and development, potentially serving as a protective mechanism in a high-poverty environment.
- Parental resistance to NGO interventions highlights the need for community-based strategies.
- Addressing pervasive physical punishment requires culturally sensitive, grassroots approaches.
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