Discipline practices predicting emerging behavior problems: Universal and culture-specific pathways.

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Despite increased interest in cross-cultural research, investigations concerning cultural differences in contributions of discipline practices to child symptoms/behavior problems have been limited. We employed multilevel modeling to explain within- and between-culture differences in discipline-related predictors across 14 nations/sites from the Joint Effort Toddler Temperament Consortium (JETTC): the United States (U.S.), Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Italy, Russia, Finland, Romania, Belgium, the Netherlands, China, South Korea, Turkey, and Chile (N = 839). The Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000) provided indices of behavioral/emotional difficulties, with the Daily Activities Questionnaire (Gartstein & Putnam 2018) addressing discipline.

Total behavior problems were predicted by parental shouting, hitting, and taking privileges. Considering only age and gender covariates, approximately 9.09% (i.e., ICC = .0909) of the total variance occurred at the between-culture level. Parental use of shouting reduced the between-level variance by 17.86% and the within-level variance by 10.71%. A one standard deviation (SD) increase in shouting predicted a .34 SD increase in total problems. Parental hitting reduced the between- and within-level variance by 10.71% and 5.36%, respectively. An SD increase in hitting predicted a .25 SD increase in total problems. Taking privileges reduced the between- and within-level variance by 3.57% and 1.79%, respectively. An SD increase in taking privileges predicted a .14 SD increase in total problems.

Internalizing problems were predicted by parental use of shouting, hitting, and taking privileges. Considering only age and gender, approximately 9.79% of the internalizing problems variance occurred at the between-culture level. Parental shouting reduced the between-level variance by 15.38% and the within-level variance by 5.69%. Additionally, allowing the slope for shouting to vary further reduced the between- and within-level variance by 6.31% and.49%, respectively. Within this model, an SD increase in shouting predicted a .24 SD increase in internalizing problems. Hitting reduced between-level variance by 19.01% and within-level variance by 2.15%. Allowing the slope to vary further reduced between- and within level variance by 6.98% and .28%, respectively. Within the random-slopes model, an SD increase in hitting predicted a .17 SD increase in internalizing problems. Taking privileges reduced between-level variance by 2.90% and within-level variance by .56%. Increase in taking privileges by an SD predicted a .10 SD increase in internalizing problems.

Parental use of shouting and taking privileges predicted externalizing problems. Considering covariates, approximately 8.94% of the variance in externalizing problems occurred at the between-culture level. Parental shouting reduced the between-level variance by 6.76% and the within-level variance by 10.60%. An SD increase in shouting predicted a .34 standard deviation increase in externalizing problems. Taking privileges reduced between- and within-level variance by 2.65% and 2.25%, respectively. An SD increase in taking privileges predicted a .15 SD increase in externalizing problems.

Results provide evidence of universal and culture-specific prediction. Specifically, random slope effects were significant in predicting internalizing problems with parental hitting and taking away privileges; thus the relationship between internalizing difficulties and parental use of hitting and taking privileges varied across cultures. The cultural meaning of these practices likely differs across sites, contributing to variability in associated child outcomes.

Authors

• Eric Desmarais, Washington State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Brian French, Washington State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carmen Gonzalez-Salinas, Universidad de Murcia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Helena Slobodskaya, State Scientific Research Institute of Physiology & Basic Medicine
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ibrahim Hakki Acar, Özyeğin University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Emine Ahmetoglu, Trakya University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Oana Benga, University of Bucharest
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mirjana Majdandzic, Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Zhengyan Wang, Capital Normal University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Soile Soile Tuovinen, University of Helsinki
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kati Heinonen, University of Helsinki
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katri Raikkonen, University of Helsinki
  Non-Presenting Author

• Roseriet Beijers, Radboud University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carolina de Weerth, Radboud University Medical Center
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rosario Montirosso, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea
  Non-Presenting Author

• Blanca Estela Huitron, UNAM
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sae-Young Han, Ewha Womans University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Seong-Yeon Park, Ewha Womans University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Eun Lee, Ewha Institute of Social Sciences, Ewha Womans University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maria Beatriz Martins Linhares, Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sara Casalin
  Non-Presenting Author

• Felipe Lecannelier, Universidad del Desarrollo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sam Putnam, Bowdoin College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maria Amy Gartstein, Washington State University
  Presenting Author