No Matter What, Parents Do Matter: Examining factors influencing parenting behaviour

Parents play a big role in the healthy development of their children, child wellbeing and child outcomes. This study examined how combinations of factors are associated with parent-child interactions and child discipline practices. Specifically, it was hypothesised in six different ways that parent education level, parent gender, child gender, child age and parents’ self efficacy would all influence the discipline practices parents use with their children. A total of 158 parents with a child between the ages of 0-10 years completed an online survey addressing a range of questions linked to parents and their children. The questions included the type of activities and responsibilities engaged in with the child, parenting behaviour and parents’ confidence level in parenting. The results were mix, with some supporting the hypotheses and others not. Notably, however, parents’ educational level was not significantly related to child discipline practices. Overall, the results largely show that child discipline practices are influenced by complex interactions of factors rather than one single factor. The results are discussed in line with limitations and future research implications