Predictors of harsh discipline practices among rural households in Côte d'Ivoire

Harsh discipline is associated with adverse child outcomes across diverse contexts, but research is limited in sub–Saharan Africa. We assess the prevalence and identify predictors of harsh disciplinary practices at home in a sample of rural primary school-aged children in Côte d'Ivoire ( N = 1574). Hierarchical regression analyses were used to identify household and family characteristics associated with household harsh disciplinary practices. Maternal age, child age, and higher expectation of children's educational attainment were associated with lower use of harsh discipline in the home, while stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, number of children, food insecurity, and accepting attitudes toward harsh discipline were associated with more use of harsh discipline at home. Moderation analyses revealed that the association between accepting attitudes and household harsh disciplinary practices was magnified under conditions of higher maternal stress. Supporting parental mental health may improve family functioning and reduce household harsh disciplinary practices. • Examines factors linked to harsh disciplinary practices in rural Côte d'Ivoire. • Older mothers, high education expectations linked to fewer harsh disciplinary practices. • Stress, anxiety, and younger child age linked to more harsh disciplinary practices. • Food insecurity, accepting attitudes were top predictors of harsh disciplinary practices. • Accepting attitudes magnified stress's association with harsh disciplinary practices.