Latent class profiles of parental discipline and their associations with adjustment outcomes: A retrospective study of young adults

Abstract

Parents utilize a variety of methods in disciplining children, with some of these approaches garnering more research attention than others. For example, the use of physical punishment has been a widely debated topic though previous studies have consistently found associations between experiences of physical punishment and later adjustment difficulties. However, disciplinary methods are seldom used in isolation thus rendering it challenging to explore how specific discipline strategies employed by parents may affect adjustment outcomes in children. Using a person-centred approach, this study examined how different latent class profiles of parents formed of various discipline strategies reported by young adults (YA) related to outcomes of emotion dysregulation, relationship with parents, and self-esteem. Discipline strategies were broadly categorized into non-violent, psychologically aggressive, and physical methods. Three classes of disciplinarians were identified: Class 1 reflected the harshest degree of parental discipline (high non-violent, high psychological, and high physical punishment), Class 2 reflected moderately harsh discipline (high non-violent, high psychological, and moderate physical punishment), and Class 3 reflected the least harsh discipline (high non-violent, moderate psychological, and low physical punishment). Both emotion dysregulation and relationship with parents varied as a function of physical or psychological discipline for mothers, but as a function of physical and psychological discipline for fathers. Self-esteem only varied as a function of physical and psychological discipline for mothers, but not fathers. Our results suggest that several negative outcomes are associated with moderate use of physical punishment, even within a cultural context where such methods are considered acceptable and normative. The use of psychologically aggressive discipline was also associated with some negative outcomes though the effects were more pronounced for mothers than fathers. Future studies could further our understanding of psychologically aggressive discipline, as well as provide richer insights into the experience of various discipline approaches using qualitative study designs.