Abstract
Children who are under the age of five in underdeveloped and developing countries, including China, exhibit developmental delays due to their exposure to risks such as impoverishment, deprived health conditions, parental punishment, neglect, and poor psychosocial stimulation. Adverse experiences during the formative years of life, such as harsh parental discipline, may put them at risk for poor physical and mental well-being. The aim of this research is to explore the pervasiveness and developmental outcomes of different forms of discipline practices in the underdeveloped rural areas of China. To do this, we used cross-sectional data on child–caregiver dyads from a large survey held in 22 poor counties in the QinBa Mountain Region. The sample included 1622 children aged 12–36 months. Partakers were requested to respond to a general survey on parenting which included basic demographic questions, the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE), the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID-III), and questions on exposure of children to different discipline practices. Our findings from OLS estimates reveal that aversive discipline methods adversely affect cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development, whereas, non-aversive discipline practices have constructive effects on cognitive, language, and motor development of children.
Highlights
The initial years of life represent the crucial developmental period as the brain grows rapidly during this period
We explore the early experiences of young children with respect to discipline practices of caregivers and how these practices affect their cognitive and noncognitive development
The key goal of this study is to explore the association of five different discipline practices on the cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes of rural children younger than three years of age
Summary
The initial years (nought to five) of life represent the crucial developmental period as the brain grows rapidly during this period. An individual’s cognitive, physical, and social-emotional ability develops during this time and the development of these abilities influences education, income, and success later in life [1]. Childhood development (ECD) is essential for laying the groundwork for subsequent physical and emotional wellbeing, as well as educational achievement. Delays in development during the early years of life may result in lasting developmental disparities between socioeconomic groups or regions, and may even undermine all attempts to escape a middle-income trap [2]. Developmental delays are quite common in developing countries [3,4]. According to the Lancet series on early childhood development in 2017, nearly 250 million children younger than 5 years of age in underdeveloped and developing countries “including China”
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