Tuesday, March 8, 2005

SPOTLIGHT: Child behaviour

Angry parents foster aggression

PARENTS who strike or threaten or yell at their children are more likely to have kids who grow up aggressive, according to a new study. However, the good news is that it is never too late to change.

When parents become less “punitive” as they raise their children, the kids turn out less aggressive.

In short, the study showed that what parents do with children in early years does make a difference.

The study used new data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, which follows the development of children from birth to early adulthood.

It surveyed about 4,100 children aged two to five in 1994/95, and again eight years later in 2002/03 when they were aged 10 to 13.

“Non-punitive” approach

Children whose parents took a “non-punitive” approach to parenting when they were pre-schoolers turned out to be less aggressive as they entered adolescence.

Children showed higher levels of aggressive behaviour when their parents were more punitive.

However, pre-schoolers whose parents changed their practices from punitive to non-punitive eight years later scored just as low in aggressive behaviour as youngsters whose parenting environment was not punitive at either of those ages.

This occurred regardless of the children's level of aggressive behaviour when they were younger.

Similarly, pre-schoolers whose parenting environment changed from non-punitive to punitive had aggressive behaviour scores that were just as high as those whose parenting environment was punitive at both ages.

Pro-social behaviour

In addition to a child's aggressive behaviour, changes in punitive parenting practices were linked with changes in child anxiety and pro-social behaviour, the latter defined as actions that benefit another person with no reward for oneself.

Children whose parenting environment changed from punitive to non-punitive between the time they were aged two to five and 10 to 13 scored just as low in anxiety at the older ages as those whose parenting environment was not punitive at either time.

On the other hand, children whose parenting environment changed from non-punitive to punitive had anxiety scores that were just as high at age 10 to 13 as those whose parenting environment was punitive at both ages.

The same trends were observed for children's pro-social behaviour.

These findings do not prove that punitive parenting practices caused aggressive behaviour, anxiety, or limited pro-social behaviour in the children. However, they are consistent with other research that suggests a causal role.

For more information, contact Client Services (1-800-461-9050), Special Surveys Division.

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© 2004, 2005 Statistics Canada.