Violent discipline and parental behavior: Short-and medium-term effects of digital parenting support to caregivers*

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Dinarte-Diaz, Lelys; Ravindran, Saravana; Shah, Manisha; Powers, Shawn; Baker-Henningham, Helen
• 署名单位: The World Bank; National University of Singapore; National Bureau of Economic Research; University of California System; University of California Berkeley; The World Bank; University West Indies Mona Jamaica; Bangor University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2026.105590
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM; self-efficacy; MENTAL-HEALTH; childhood; maltreatment; CHILDREN; ABUSE; MODEL; care; intervention

摘要

Approximately 75% of children aged 2 to 4 worldwide are regularly subjected to violent discipline. We study the impact of a digitally delivered intervention on positive parenting practices in Jamaica using a randomized controlled trial. Results show that the intervention improves caregiver knowledge (0.52 SD), attitudes toward violence (0.2 SD), and reduces caregiver violence against children (0.12 SD). Treatment children experience fewer emotional problems (0.17 SD). We also find reductions in caregiver depression (0.12 SD), anxiety (0.16 SD), and parental stress (0.16 SD) for treatment caregivers nine months later. The digital delivery has important scalable policy implications that could help decrease violence against children worldwide.