Developed by Mary Gosche, Human
Development Specialist, University of Missouri Extension
Relationship to Building
The quality of parent-child
interactions is an important aspect of family life to focus on when
building strong families. One common theme of these interactions is
child discipline and guidance. This teaching module provides parents
with ideas on how to discipline and guide their children in ways that
are positive and healthy for child development and future well-being.
Brief program description
This program presents a
perspective toward child discipline and guidance that considers the
unique needs of different situations and different ages of children.
Four broad concepts will be presented and reviewed: the difference
between discipline and punishment; stages of child development and
corresponding methods of discipline and guidance; the relationship
between parenting behaviors and child outcomes; and positive methods of
child discipline and guidance.
Parenting behaviors and child
outcomes are related in a number of meaningful ways. Beginning with
infancy, different types of parenting are related to different
developmental outcomes. For example, sensitive, responsive maternal
behavior toward infants is associated with healthy and secure
mother-infant relationships (Isabella, Belsky, & von Eye, 1989).
These same positive relations between parenting behaviors and child
functioning continue into the preschool years.
A parentís happy mood, enjoyment of the
child, and a relaxed home environment are predictive of a preschoolerís
positive health and well-being (Stevenson-Hinde & Shouldice, 1995).
Through the school-age years and into adolescence, parenting styles that
consider the unique needs of the child, yet place an emphasis on
personal responsibility and appropriate levels of encouraging
independence, are related to optimal child outcomes (Bornstein, 1995).
Conversely, parenting behaviors that do
not take into consideration the needs of the child are reflected in less
positive child outcomes. For instance, children who experience
insensitive, coercive, and unreasonably demanding parenting often
experience lower academic achievement, poor peer relations, and poor
self-esteem (Baumrind, 1994). Thus, working towards parenting,
discipline and guidance styles that are positive, child-centered, and
respectful of childrenís developmental needs, promotes family
In summary, research indicates that the
use of authoritative or inductive methods (firm but supportive,
controlling but responsive), are associated with more positive
behavioral and cognitive development in the child. Authoritarian or
power-assertive methods of physical punishment, deprivation of
privileges, and demanding, are associated with less positive outcomes.
Goals and objectives
- To identify and understand the
difference between discipline and punishment;
- To recognize personal parenting styles
and understand the potential outcomes of different parenting
behaviors for childrenís development;
- To learn positive discipline and
guidance strategies that correspond to the unique developmental
needs of different aged children;
- To learn how positive and effective
child discipline and guidance represent long term investments in
building a strong family unit.
Working families with children