Parental empathy and behavior: A study on discipline, punishment, and psychological control

Abstract

Parenting behaviors strongly influence children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Parental empathy, including cognitive empathy, emotional resonance, and emotional dissonance, shapes disciplinary practices and parent–child relationships. This study examines levels of parental empathy and parenting behaviors in the areas of discipline, punishment, and psychological control, and explores how emotional and cognitive involvement in parenting affects disciplinary approaches and family interactions. Data were collected from 349 parents using validated instruments, including the Emotional and Cognitive Empathy Scale and the Parenting Behavior Scale–Short Form with the Psychological Control Scale. Descriptive statistical analyses showed that parents mainly used non-aggressive discipline methods (M = 1.61, SD = 0.85) and reported high emotional resonance (M = 2.15, SD = 0.54). Punitive behaviors were rare (M = 0.47, SD = 0.49), while psychological control was used at a moderate level (M = 0.56, SD = 0.53). Emotional resonance was positively associated with positive parenting behaviors, and cognitive empathy showed a moderate relationship with constructive disciplinary practices. Overall, the findings highlight the important role of parental empathy in promoting effective parenting and healthy family dynamics, while also indicating that the use of psychological control and lower levels of cognitive empathy remain areas for improvement.