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Associations Between Child Labour, Child Discipline and Psychosocial Functioning of Children and Adolescents in Laos
Thao Thanh Thi Nguyen1,2, Huyen-Trang Luu-Thi3, Dat Tan Nguyen2
1Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
Insights
Child labor and harsh parental discipline significantly increase psychosocial difficulties in Laotian children. Interventions are urgently needed to protect child well-being and reduce these harmful practices.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Child labor and parental discipline are linked to adverse psychosocial outcomes globally.
- Limited data exists on these associations specifically within Laos.
- This study addresses this gap by examining child labor and discipline's impact on Laotian children's psychosocial health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of child labor and parental discipline in Laos.
- To investigate the associations between child labor, parental discipline, and psychosocial difficulties in children aged 5-14.
- To provide evidence for targeted interventions in Laos.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2023 Laos Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), a nationally representative sample.
- Employed multivariable binary logistic regression analyses to assess associations.
- Controlled for confounders such as child's age, mother's education, sex, location, wealth, and ethnicity.
Main Results:
- Child labor was significantly associated with five types of psychosocial difficulties.
- Non-violent discipline correlated with seven psychosocial difficulties.
- Various forms of physical and psychological aggression were linked to multiple psychosocial impairments.
Conclusions:
- Strong associations exist between child labor, disciplinary practices (both psychological and physical), and psychosocial difficulties in Laotian children.
- Urgent interventions are necessary to mitigate harmful disciplinary methods and child labor.
- Supporting children's well-being requires addressing these critical risk factors.
Introduction:
Although the increased risks of child labour and parental discipline on children's psychosocial functioning are well-documented in various settings, there is a paucity of data addressing these associations in Laos. This research aims to investigate the prevalence of child labour and parental discipline and their potential associations with psychosocial difficulties among children and adolescents aged 5-14 years.
Methods:
This study employed data from the 2023 Laos Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), a nationally representative cross-sectional dataset. Multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between child labour, child discipline and different categories of psychosocial functioning difficulties. Adjusted odds ratios were estimated controlling for potential confounders, including children's age, mother's education, sex, residential area, wealth index and ethnicity.
Results:
A considerable proportion of children and adolescents experienced disciplinary practices, with 73.8% exposed to nonviolent forms and 65.6% to violent disciplinary methods. Overall, 15.8% of children were identified as having at least one psychosocial functioning difficulty. Engagement in child labour was significantly associated with five out of 10 psychosocial difficulties (aORs: 1.28-3.75; 95% CIs: 1.05-5.26; p-values < 0.02). Non-violent discipline was significantly associated with seven out of 10 psychosocial functioning difficulties (aORs: 1.72-2.68; 95% CIs: 1.03-4.30; p-values < 0.02). Additionally, exposure to psychological aggression was significantly associated with impairments in seven out of 10 psychosocial domains (aORs: 1.49-2.16; 95% CIs: 1.11-3.06; p-values < 0.02). Moderate physical aggression was significantly associated with four out of 10 psychosocial difficulties (aORs: 1.49-1.83; 95% CIs: 1.12-2.81; p-values < 0.01), while severe physical punishment was significantly associated with severity in four out of 10 domains (aORs: 1.48-1.59; 95% CIs: 1.02-2.29; p-values < 0.02).
Conclusions:
The findings highlight strong associations between exposure to psychological and physical disciplinary practices, as well as child labour, and a wide range of psychosocial functioning difficulties among children and adolescents. These results underscore the urgent need for interventions aimed at reducing harmful disciplinary practices and child labour to support children's well-being.
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