Factors that Influence Chinese Parents’ Intentions to Use Physical Violence to Discipline Their Preschool Children

Haixue Wang,Jingqi Chen,Linjing Lyu,Guangrong Zhu,Michael Dunne

doi:10.3390/ijerph17051787

Abstract

This study explored factors affecting parents’ intentions to use physical violence (PV) to discipline their children in the future. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) guided selection of variables. A sample of 1337 preschool children’s parents from nine kindergartens located in a county of Henan Province, China were selected by stratified random cluster sampling. Data on parents’ attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control over PV, intentions to engage in PV to discipline their preschool children in the future, self-reported PV behavior toward their children during the past three months, and demographic characteristics were collected via a paper-based questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined putative predictors of parents’ intentions to use physically violent discipline. Nearly three-quarters of the sample said they definitely will not use violent discipline, while 23.4% either said they would use it, or did not rule it out. Logistic regression analysis showed that parents’ lower level of perceived behavioral control over using violence (OR 4.17; 95% CI: 2.659, 6.551), attitudes that support PV (OR 2.23; 95% CI: 1.555, 3.203), and having been physically violent with their children during the past three months (OR 1.62; 95% CI: 1.032, 2.556) were significantly associated with parents’ tendency either to include, or not exclude, the use of violent discipline. Parents’ subjective norms regarding PV had no significant impact on their intentions (p > 0.05). The influence of TPB constructs varied according to parents’ gender. Intervention programs that aim to reduce violent discipline should focus both on increasing parents’ perceived behavioral control over PV and changing their attitudes toward physically violent practices, especially among mothers and parents who have already used PV to discipline their children.

Highlights

Physical violence (PV) against children has been increasingly reported as an important risk factor for impaired psychological development [1,2]
Logistic regression analysis showed that parents’ lower level of perceived behavioral control over using violence, attitudes that support PV, and having been physically violent with their children during the past three months were significantly associated with parents’ tendency either to include, or not exclude, the use of violent discipline
We examine whether theory of planned behavior (TPB) provides a useful approach for explaining parents’ intentions to engage in PV against their preschool children in China

Summary

Introduction

Physical violence (PV) against children has been increasingly reported as an important risk factor for impaired psychological development [1,2]. When examined with other adversities, childhood physical violence contributes independently to depression and anxiety throughout life [1]. Young people exposed to physical abuse may be 50.0% more likely to suffer depressive disorders than their non-abused peers [3]. Spanking experienced during childhood is linked with development of mental health problems among adults, such as suicide attempts, moderate to heavy drinking, the use of street drugs [4] and depression during old age [5]. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 1787; doi:10.3390/ijerph17051787 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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