Harsh discipline increases risk of lasting mental health problems in children - report

FREQUENTLY disciplining young children harshly puts them at significant risk of lasting mental health problems, a new report suggests. The research by University of Cambridge and University College Dublin found parenting that involves repeated shouting, isolating, and physically punishment made it 1.5 times more likely that a child would be at “high risk” of developing poor mental health by age nine.

Reported in the journal 'Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences', the study, which involved 7,500 children, found some 10% were in the high-risk band for poor mental health, including symptoms of anxiety, aggression, and social withdrawal.

“Our findings underline the importance of doing everything possible to ensure that parents are supported to give their children a warm and positive upbringing, especially if wider circumstances put those children at risk of poor mental health outcomes,” said Associate Professor Jennifer Symonds, from the UCD School of Education.

“Avoiding a hostile emotional climate at home won’t necessarily prevent poor men- tal health outcomes from occurring, but it will probably help.”

The researchers used data from 7,507 participants in the ‘Growing up in Ireland’ longitudinal study of children and young people, and charted their mental health symptoms at ages three, five and nine.

While the study notes parenting style does not completely determine mental health outcomes, as it found warm parenting did not increase the likelihood of children being at low-risk of developing poor mental health, it does argue that professionals should be alert to the potential influence of parenting on a child who shows signs of having poor mental health.

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