Links between Discipline Practices and Early Childhood Behavior Problems: Universal or Culture-Specific?

Abstract Harsh parental disciplinary approaches can negatively impact children emotionally and behaviorally, and early childhood mental health difficulties can impact later life functioning. We examined parental disciplinary approaches (i.e., inductive and power assertion approaches) during childhood in relation to internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior problems across 14 countries. We hypothesized that discipline practice indicators would explain both within- and between-group variance based on differential values, socialization goals, and acceptance of varying approaches across cultures. Caregivers ( N = 865) across 14 countries ( M = 61 families per site) reported child ( M age = 26.88 months, SD age = 5.65 months; 52% boys) behavioral, social, and emotional functioning as well as parent disciplinary techniques. Utilizing multilevel modeling, the role of within- and between-culture variance in disciplinary techniques in relation to overall problem behaviors, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems was assessed. Total behavior problems and internalizing problems were predicted by shouting, hitting, and taking privileges. Externalizing problems were predicted by shouting and taking privileges. Further, random slope effects were significant in predicting internalizing problems with parental hitting and taking away privileges. Overall hypotheses were supported. Findings suggest evidence of more universal and some culture-specific prediction in the relations between discipline techniques and behavioral outcomes. Prevention/treatment approaches for child behavior problems aimed at reduction of parental coercive discipline practices may be relevant across different cultures.

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Publication Details

Journal
Child Psychiatry & Human Development
Published
2026-08-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-026-02079-3
Primary Topic
Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Links between Discipline Practices and Early Childhood Behavior Problems: Universal or Culture-Specific?

Magen Lowe, Soile Tuovinen, Emine Ahmetoğlu, Maria A. Gartstein et al.
Child Psychiatry & Human Development
Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
article

Links between Discipline Practices and Early Childhood Behavior Problems: Universal or Culture-Specific?

Magen Lowe, Soile Tuovinen, Emine Ahmetoğlu, Maria A. Gartstein, Blanca Huitrón, Carolina de Weerth, Éric Desmarais, Sara Casalin, Oana Bengà, Felipe Lecannelier, Carmen González-Salinas, Mirjana Majdandžić, Rosario Montirosso, Ela Sehic, Maria Beatriz Martins Linhares, Kati Heinonen, Roseriet Beijers, Samuel P. Putnam, Brian French, Christie Pham, Helena Slobodskaya, Annalisa Castagna, Katri Raikkonen, Elena Kozlova, Zhengyan Wang, Ibrahim Acar, Eun Gyoung Lee, Sae-Young Han, Seong-Yeon Park
article en

Abstract

Abstract Harsh parental disciplinary approaches can negatively impact children emotionally and behaviorally, and early childhood mental health difficulties can impact later life functioning. We examined parental disciplinary approaches (i.e., inductive and power assertion approaches) during childhood in relation to internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior problems across 14 countries. We hypothesized that discipline practice indicators would explain both within- and between-group variance based on differential values, socialization goals, and acceptance of varying approaches across cultures. Caregivers ( N = 865) across 14 countries ( M = 61 families per site) reported child ( M age = 26.88 months, SD age = 5.65 months; 52% boys) behavioral, social, and emotional functioning as well as parent disciplinary techniques. Utilizing multilevel modeling, the role of within- and between-culture variance in disciplinary techniques in relation to overall problem behaviors, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems was assessed. Total behavior problems and internalizing problems were predicted by shouting, hitting, and taking privileges. Externalizing problems were predicted by shouting and taking privileges. Further, random slope effects were significant in predicting internalizing problems with parental hitting and taking away privileges. Overall hypotheses were supported. Findings suggest evidence of more universal and some culture-specific prediction in the relations between discipline techniques and behavioral outcomes. Prevention/treatment approaches for child behavior problems aimed at reduction of parental coercive discipline practices may be relevant across different cultures.

Child Psychiatry & Human Development
Trakya University (TR), University of Helsinki (FI), Bowdoin College (US), Ewha Womans University (KR), Radboud University Nijmegen (NL), Baylor University (US), Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (MX), Beijing Normal University (CN), Radboud University Medical Center (NL), Babeș-Bolyai University (RO), Center for Neurosciences (US), Sociedad de Biología de Chile (CL), IRCCS Eugenio Medea (IT), Özyeğin University (TR), Washington State University (US), Universidad de Murcia (ES), University of Amsterdam (NL), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX), UCLouvain (BE), Capital Normal University (CN), KU Leuven (BE)
Washington State University
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
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