What Is the Association between Parents Harsh Discipline and Childrens Emotional and Behavioural Problems - Essay Example

What is the Association between Parents’ Harsh Discipline and Children’s Emotional and Behavioural Problems? Moduletitle: Module ID: Submission date:     Abstract: The present paper aims to make an exploration of the association between harsh and strict disciplinary measures taken by the parents, and the emotional and behavioural problems experienced by the children. One of the most important objectives behind conducting the research on this topic includes the complications appeared in parent-children relationship in the wake of fast changing socio-cultural scenario, affecting the patterns of domestic life, as well as the entire social establishment subsequently. In addition, being the primary social institution, the imperative place and status of family in society cannot be denied (Arnon et al, 2008, pp.374-5). Consequently, peace and progress witnessed within the family turns out to be supportive one in respect of the growth and progress of society at large; while downfall and disturbance observed within this institution leaves indelible negative impacts on the entire social fabrics eventually (Rapoport, 1989, p.232). Hence, the topic selected for the present study maintains noteworthy significance in its nature and scope. The Paper: Child-parent relationship has always been a matter of profound interest and curiosity for the psychologists, sociologists and cultural anthropologists (Jacobs et al, 1998, p.2). It is partly because of children’s having their earliest interactional experiences with the members of their family, who play imperative part in the socialisation of the children (Stromquist, 2008, p.3). The family members, predominantly the parents, play decisive role in the personality formation as well as character-building of the young ones through informal education and coaching (Macionis, 2008, p.127). Distinguished late nineteenth century Italian biologist-psychologist Cesare Lombroso views all human traits to be biological in nature, and thus refutes the influence of environment on personality traits of the individuals (Fleming, 2001, p.196). The members of society also regard the children to be the representatives and reflection of their parents, and would have the nature and traits attributed to their family (Mooney et al, 2009, p.3). Consequently, parents and family members pay due heed to the education and training of the children, so that they could become responsible members of society, and could make valuable contributions to the respect and good name of their parents. Hence, particular heed is given to socialisation of the children, by applying various methodologies to turn the children obedient, complying and well-groomed ones (Mooney et al, 2009, p.6). In addition, the parents also attempt to save the children from emotional stress and behaviour problems, though sometimes their harsh discipline towards the children may cause emotional and behaviour problems for the adolescents (Gallagher, 2002, p.624). Emotional problems refer to the mental distress and abnormality appears in the wake of some unpleasant and untoward state of affairs that have hurt and harm the sentiments of the individual undergoing emotional stress, which are influenced by temperament, culture, relationships, health, tiredness, family circumstances, experiences of early childhood care and education and a range of other factors (Berk, 2009, p.402). The emotional problems also lead to behavioural issues due to the very fact that it is brain that regulates all the affairs related to the physical activities. In other terms, emotional problems and mental stress is certain to lead to behave in an abnormal way (Pervin 1997, p.387). There are several reasons behind emotional stress and behavioural problems; parents’ harsh discipline is also one of the imperative reasons behind the same. The parents demonstrate harsh attitude towards the children to keep them disciplined and mannered and for their observing social norms, moral values and statutes of the existing laws (Grusec, 2008, p.4). In case the parents do not take notice of the activities their children get involved into, there appear serious consequences of such negligence on the part of the parents (Estévez & Gongora, 2009, p.147). Consequently, the parents have to be harsh towards the children for protecting them from physical and mental harms, as well as for the sake of their adequate personality growth and development (Kagan, 1999, p.166). Somehow, it is not always the case that the parents become harsh towards their children just for the sake of their welfare. On the contrary, parents sometimes inflict violence and aggression towards the children because of different personal complications; which include financial problems, social issues, professional challenges, hatred or disliking for the children and their being haughty and hostile by nature (Vissing et al, 1991:225). In the same way, aggressive ways are also provoked in individuals on the eve of their getting placed in some oppressive environment, including poverty, social disorganisation, crowding, neighbourhood tensions or any threatening situation as well (DeBord, 2000, p.7). The same hostility could be found in the children of the individuals witnessing violence in their everyday behaviour while interacting with the family members, co-workers and other members of society in general (Vissing et al, 1991, p.227-8). Since the children act in the same manner as they observe being performed within their social and physical environment, their turning aggressive and violent in the wake of their parents’ observing antagonism towards them appears to be quite a natural phenomenon (Donoghue, 2010, p.56). However, the children victim of the harshness of the parents also tend to become timid, terrified and frightened, instead of being able of becoming aggressive and violent (Eisenberg et al, 1999, pp.514-5). Similarly, another imperatively perturbing impact of the violence exercised by the parents on their children includes the shattering of their confidence level to a great extent. The parents serve as the source of support and protection for the children, which provide them with security with the external threats. Somehow, if the parents per adopt persistent violence and harsh behaviour towards the children, they would certainly find themselves to be extremely insecure and unprotected even within the four walls of their home (May, et al, 2002, p.278). However, it does not depict that the mere censure demonstrated by parents towards children in the wake of their making mistakes and refusing to complying with their commands result into the shaking of their confidence level. On the contrary, persistent rebuking on the part of the parents, and announcing punishments on petty issues and trivial matters may tell upon the delicate nerves of the children (Eisenberg et al, 1999, p. 521). In other terms, the harsh behaviour aimed at introducing reformation in children frequently produces positive outcomes; on the contrary, the parents’ reproach meant to insulting and humiliating the children certainly brings negative consequences eventually (Deater-Deckard & Dodge, 1997, p.168). As a result, feelings of alienation start haunting their minds, which may result into the emotional collapse of the children. Out of sheer feelings of being the target of the antagonism, observed by their parents, the children are inclined to react and retaliate in different ways (Deater-Deckard & Dodge, 1997, p.169). Since the parents’ harshness may develop the emotions of hatred in the minds of children, they plan and attempt to leave their home for seeking relief in some place that could save them from the aggression inflicted by the parents upon them (May et al, 2002, p.280). Hence, the domestic violence and harsh attitude of the parents adversely turns on the emotional and behavioural activities of the children, who may become the part of criminal network and activities had been established by the gangs of offenders, drugs and narcotics traffickers and other habitual felonious groups of society (DeBord, 2000, p.8). Another noteworthy impact of the parents’ harshness towards the children includes their turning out to be reticent and fearful, which mirror the abnormality or disorder in one’s personality traits. The child, remaining under the stress and strain not only loses the ability to perform in an adequate manner, but also looks hesitant while taking steps and making decisions about the trivial matters of life even. Hence, unnecessary harshness adopted by the parents towards their children, may result into the ruination of children’s personality growth and development subsequently (Eisenberg et al, 1996, p.155). However, displaying of extraordinary love and leniency on the part of the parents towards the children also tends to make them nagging, resolute, stubborn, non-compliant and haughty (Gallagher, 2002, p.625). Renowned psychologist Eric Erikson is of the view that confidence level in children starts developing during the second and third stages of the model elaborated by him (Karcher & Benne, 2007, p.202). The same is true on the basis that it has often been observed that the children, suppressed by the parents at homes, cannot take steps independently even in their grown-up years, and thus remain the prey to lack of confidence in their personality; which could leave serious effects on their personality, thoughts and sexual orientation as well (O’Connor & Scott, 2007, p.26). It maintains that the children who have been the victim of domestic violence and harsh attitude from the parents may tend to become homosexuals in their adult years (O’Connor & Scott, 2007, p.30). In other terms, the children seek help and relief in the activities that come under the definition of perversion in the wake of the aggression exercised upon them at the domestic scale. The studies reveal that the children, victim of domestic aggressive behaviour may develop antipathy for home and family, which could lead to their seeking shelter by observing deviancy in their behaviour (Gallagher, 2002, pp.626-7). Similarly, the harsh attitude of parents could also distract the children in such a way that they may begin developing trust in strangers and outsiders because of their being unable to obtain emotional comforts and mental peace at domestic scale (Grossman, 1991, p.25). Furthermore, the children’s remaining the target of censure by the parents also develop negative perception of their self as well as other members of society (Solomon & Serres, 1999, p.341). The individuals maintaining positive illusions about his self and others also observe healthy mind, partly due to the reality that mental information system has the capability to reach a happy and optimistic conclusion (Taylor and Brown, 1986, p.201). On the contrary, the children developing negative illusions always take darker aspects of life, and hence hate the society because of their having damaging feelings for self and society at large. Another deplorable aspect of the violence and crimes committed against the children either at domestic scale or at the hands of the outsiders includes the children’s inability to resist the aggression being inflicted upon them, due to their physical weakness and natural innocence. Consequently, the burden of protecting the children shifts to the adult members and authorities at large (NICCY, 2009, p.11-12). Somehow, when the family members turn violence towards the children, the innocent stratum of society undergoes serious consequences, and is unable to perform well even in their grown years. The children, victim of domestic violence, start seeking relief in chemicals and drugs, and hence gradually becomes drug addicts at a small age (Doweiko, 2006, p.47). Since drug addiction provides them with some peace of mind though temporarily for some moments, they gradually adopt the habit of addiction on permanent foundations, and hence turn out to be useless and problematic member of society eventually (Doweiko, 2006, p.51). Similarly, the children of aggressive parents also tend to demonstrate violent and aggression in their behaviour while interacting with other members of society. Since they do not display the same level of aggression towards the parents attributed to the parents; nevertheless, the children certainly exhibit violence and harshness towards the parents, peers, classmates and other individuals because of their learning the observing of aggression from their parents (Kagan, 1999, p.168). As a result, there appear to be higher probabilities of their becoming violent and even criminals for the future years to come (Norwood et al, 2004, p.4). Somehow, the parents have their personal problems and challenges too in life, which force them to be harsh and aggressive towards the children from themselves because of their professional obligations, personal commitments and financial hazards. Thus, it is not always the case that the parents apply aggression on the children or adopt harsh ways towards them willingly. On the other hand, their dedication to provide the children with a superior sort of life forces them to get busy at work, as well as pretend to be at distance from their children. Nevertheless, harsh attitude of the parents towards their children does not always result into adverse effects on them (Greenberg, 2009, p.22). On the other hand, it has often been observed that the adolescents being supervised not only feel themselves to be protected from the external threats, but also find themselves under a relaxed and secured situation (O’Connor & Scott, 2007, p.24). Parents’ harsh attitude towards the children not only protects them from going astray and indulging into malpractices and deviant behaviour, but also helps them to pay due heed to their studies and education (Grolnick et al., 2007, p.993). The presence of parents, particularly the fathers, and their observing strict check on the activities on the children, according to Ellis et al, causes the daughters’ refraining from entering into extra-marital sexual relationships predominantly at young age (2003, 805-6). Consequently, the harsh attitude and maintaining discipline on the part of the fathers forces the children to witness morality and abstain from developing illicit associations. As a result, parents’ harsh behaviour helps out in the character-building of the children, and they learn the significance of moral values in life. Furthermore, being the head of family, father serves as the source of love, encouragement, protection and financial and moral support for the children, presence of who is associated with the sense of security for the entire family (Ellis et al, 2003: 808). However, the sometimes they do not acknowledge their responsibilities to their children; the mothers have to be harsh occasionally as well as frequently for ensuring the protection of their children (Douglas et al., 2007, p.8). As a result, the children are dependent of either the depressed and miserable single mothers, or at the mercy of their stepfathers, who are recorded to be mostly indifferent or very cruel to the stepchildren. To conclude, it becomes evident that despite the fact that aggressive attitude witnessed by the parents could tell upon the mental and physical capabilities of the children; nonetheless, the same harshness also turns out to be beneficial one for the education, character-building and moral uplift of the adolescents. Although there is misconception that the aggression displayed by the parents towards their children always means to discourage, snub and humiliate the children; somehow, it is not the case altogether. On the contrary, the harsh attitude and high-handedness employed by the parents just mean to the personality formation of their children in such a manner that the other members of society would admire the ways adopted by the children in their educational and professional fields on the one side, and during their social and cultural interactions on the other. In other terms, all the strictness maintained by the children rests upon teaching them how to lead a responsible and respectable life during their grown years. Furthermore, despite the very fact that the harshness of the parents generally erects on the foundations of the education and training of the children; nevertheless, sometimes it so happens that the parents demonstrate unnecessary and untoward aggression towards their children. However, the parents must realise that mere finances would not work out provided the parents escape the exhibition of natural love and affection towards the children. 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