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Violent Discipline and Parental Behavior: Short- and Medium-term Effects of Virtual Parenting Support to Caregivers

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  • Lelys I. Dinarte Diaz
  • Saravana Ravindran
  • Manisha Shah
  • Shawn M. Powers
  • Helen Baker-Henningham

Abstract

Approximately 75% of children aged 2 to 4 worldwide are regularly subjected to violent discipline across the globe. We study the impact of a virtually-delivered intervention on positive parenting practices in Jamaica. We find the intervention improves caregiver knowledge (0.52 SD) and attitudes around violence (0.2 SD) and leads to meaningful changes in caregiver disciplining behaviors, with a 0.12 SD reduction in violence against children. Treatment children also experience fewer emotional problems (0.17 SD). When we return nine months later, we also find reductions in caregiver depression (0.12 SD), anxiety (0.16 SD), and parental stress (0.16 SD) for treatment caregivers. The virtual delivery has important scalable policy implications which could help decrease violence against children across the globe.

Suggested Citation

  • Lelys I. Dinarte Diaz & Saravana Ravindran & Manisha Shah & Shawn M. Powers & Helen Baker-Henningham, 2023. "Violent Discipline and Parental Behavior: Short- and Medium-term Effects of Virtual Parenting Support to Caregivers," NBER Working Papers 31338, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31338
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    Cited by:

    1. Amaral, Sofia & Dinarte-Diaz, Lelys & Dominguez, Patricio & Perez-Vincent, Santiago M., 2024. "Helping families help themselves: The (Un)intended impacts of a digital parenting program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    2. Elisabetta Aurino & Sharon Wolf, 2024. "A ‘smart buy' for all? Unequal and unintended consequences of a messaging program for child education," UB School of Economics Working Papers 2024/461, University of Barcelona School of Economics.

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    JEL classification:

    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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