An examination of the reciprocal relationship between harsh parental discipline and child misbehavior

This research examines the reciprocal relationships between early child misbehavior and harsh parental discipline. The topic of early child misbehavior is an important one as empirical research has found early misbehavior to be a good predictor of later delinquency and criminal behavior in adolescence and adulthood. Parents' use of harsh discipline has been cited as one source of children's problem behaviors. The relationship between misbehavior and discipline suggests that early childhood experiences play an important role in the development of aggressive and antisocial behaviors. Research has also demonstrated that children often precipitate harsh discipline through their unwanted behaviors.;This study will examine the relationships between child misbehavior and harsh parental disciplinary responses, specifically psychological aggression, corporal punishment, and physical abuse. The sample comes from the longitudinal cohort study portion of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN). Children aged 3-15 and their primary caregivers were evaluated at three waves spaced three years apart. Analyses were conducted using cross-lagged and simultaneous structural equation models in AMOS. Two models were examined; the first was the parent effects model, which analyzed the effects of the three types of harsh parental discipline on child misbehavior. The second, the child effects model, analyzed the effects of child misbehavior on parental discipline.;Findings partially supported the parent effects model but were dependent upon child age and type of discipline. The most consistent predictor of child misbehavior was psychological aggression, which had a positive effect on child misbehavior. Similarly, corporal punishment generally increased the likelihood of child misbehavior while physical abuse only increased the likelihood of misbehavior in the oldest children. This suggests that harsh discipline increases the likelihood of misbehavior. In contrast, the child effects model was fully supported. At all ages misbehavior increased the likelihood of harsh discipline, suggesting that children's misbehavior precipitates discipline. Conclusions and directions for future research are also discussed.