Prevalence of and factors contributing to violent discipline in families and its association with violent discipline by teachers and peer violence

Abstract

Using a multi-informant approach, we assessed 914 children (mean age = 12.58 years, standard deviation [SD] = 1.43) and 893 caregivers (98.3 per cent female, mean age = 40.07 years, SD = 11.46) in Tanzania. Results showed that 93.3 per cent (n = 828/893) of caregivers reported using violent discipline, while 91.0 per cent (n = 832/914) of the children experienced it in their families. Further, 95.0 per cent (n = 868/914) and 93.7 per cent (n = 853/914) of students experienced violent discipline by teachers and peer violence at school, respectively. In a multilevel path model, children's mental health problems (standardised regression coefficient [β] = 0.192 [CI: 0.130, 0.255], p < 0.001) were associated with their experience of violent discipline in families. Caregivers' own childhood experience of violent discipline (β = 0.169 [CI: 0.105, 0.232], p < 0.001), their positive attitudes towards violent discipline (β = 0.228 [CI: 0.166, 0.290], p < 0.001) and mental health problems (β = 0.175 [CI: 0.113, 0.237], p < 0.001) were associated with their use of violent discipline. Violent discipline in families significantly correlated with violent discipline by teachers (correlation coefficient [r] = 0.413 [CI: 0.354, 0.472], p < 0.001) and peer violence (r = 0.354 [CI: 0.294, 0.415], p < 0.001) implying children's polyvictimisation.