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Child-rearing practices of Chinese parents and their relationship to behavioural problems in toddlers
1Department of Pshychological Medicine, National University of Singapore.
Insights
Low father involvement and punitive discipline correlate with toddler behavioral deviance. This study highlights the impact of parenting practices on child behavior development.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Parental involvement and disciplinary strategies significantly influence child development.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for addressing behavioral deviance in toddlers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental involvement, disciplinary methods, and behavioral deviance in toddlers.
- To identify specific parenting practices that may contribute to behavioral issues.
Main Methods:
- Interviewed mothers of 401 toddlers to assess parental involvement and disciplinary practices.
- Utilized the Behavioural Screening Questionnaire (BSQ) to measure toddler behavioral deviance.
Main Results:
- Father involvement in childrearing was significantly lower than mother involvement (p = 0.0001).
- Both reduced paternal involvement and punitive discipline methods were significantly linked to higher levels of behavioral deviance in toddlers.
Conclusions:
- Paternal involvement and disciplinary approaches are critical factors in toddler behavioral development.
- Findings suggest that increasing father engagement and adopting less punitive discipline may mitigate behavioral deviance.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between behavioural deviance and parental involvement in childrearing and disciplinary practices in a sample of 401 toddlers. Mothers of each subject were interviewed to assess for the degree of parental involvement and the disciplinary methods used with the child. A Behavioural Screening Questionnaire (BSQ) was used to assess for behavioural deviance in the toddlers. Results indicated that father involvement in childrearing was significantly lower than mother involvement (p = 0.0001). Although consistent with cultural expectations, both low paternal involvement and punitive types of discipline were significantly related to behavioural deviance.