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Higher Levels of Harsh Parenting During the COVID-19 Lockdown in the Netherlands.

Novika Purnama SariMarinus van IJzendoornPauline JansenMarian Bakermans-KranenburgMadelon M E Riem
Published in: Child maltreatment (2021)
Previous studies on the impact of COVID-19 indicate that pandemic-related distress increases risks for child maltreatment, although data on the scope of this problem are still scarce. Here, we assessed whether parents with toddlers (n = 206) more often used harsh discipline during the lockdown in the Netherlands compared to a matched parent sample collected prior to the pandemic (n = 1,030). Parents were matched on background characteristics using propensity score matching. We found that harsh parenting levels were significantly elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels. Harsh parenting behaviors with a low prevalence before COVID-19 increased most strongly: shaking, calling names, and calling the child stupid. These results suggest that parental tolerance for children's disobedience is lower under the adverse circumstances of COVID-19 and, as a result, abusive parenting responses are more difficult to inhibit. Thus, a lockdown seems to increase risks for child maltreatment, underscoring the need for effective support strategies for at-risk families.
Keyphrases
  • coronavirus disease
  • sars cov
  • respiratory syndrome coronavirus
  • mental health
  • human health
  • young adults
  • risk factors
  • emergency department
  • big data
  • machine learning