Peer-reviewed article
Disciplinary typologies and children's socioemotional and behavioral difficulties in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Wusirige, Jaipaul L Roopnarine, Ambika Krishnakumar ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view ·Key points
Limitations
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Family disciplinary practices typically combine nonviolent strategies, psychological aggression, and physical punishment, yet they are rarely examined together in Caribbean contexts. OBJECTIVE: This study identified disciplinary typologies and their associations with children's socioemotional and behavioral difficulties during early middle childhood. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants included 2535 primary caregivers of children aged 5-9 years in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. METHODS: Data were drawn from the 2022 UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS6). RESULTS: Latent class analysis identified three typologies that emerged across both countries: High Mixed, Verbal Mixed, and Low Discipline. Two additional typologies appeared among Jamaican children aged 5-6. Harsh typologies were associated with greater behavioral difficulties and depression than low-discipline typologies in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Inconsistent mixed patterns were particularly consequential for behavioral control during the transition to school. CONCLUSIONS: Disciplinary practices should be examined in combination to better understand children's adjustment in global majority contexts, with implications for family intervention and child protection policy.