Korean Immigrant Discipline and Children's Social Competence and Behavior Problems

Abstract

The goal of this correlational study was to explore the relationship between Korean immigrant discipline (e.g., positive, appropriate, harsh discipline) and children's social competence and behavior problems. Self-report data were collected from 58 mothers and 20 fathers of children aged from three and eight. Only paternal harsh discipline was positively correlated with children's behavior problems. Among specific discipline strategies, maternal physical affection, correcting misbehaviors, and reasoning were positively correlated with children's social competence. Paternal physical punishment (e.g., spanking, hitting, raising arms) was positively correlated with children's behavior problems. Immigrant fathers need to learn alternative ways of managing children's misbehaviors. KeywordsKorean immigrant; discipline; children; social competence; behavior problemsThe number of minority children has increased dramatically in the United States (US) during the last 30 years. National studies indicate that immigrant children tend to experience lower social competence and more behavior problems at entry into US kindergarten (Rathbun, West, & Hausken, 2004;Welston & West, 2004). These children fall further behind from 1 st to 3 rd grade (Rathbun, et al., 2004;Rouse, Brooks-Gunn, & McLanahan, 2005). Therefore, fostering social competence and preventing behavioral problems should start at an early age (Bogard & Takanishi, 2005). Children's social competence is defined as abilities that specifically enable children to achieve personal goals in social interactions while simultaneously maintaining positive relationships with others (Dirks, Treat, & Weersing, 2007;Rubin & Rose-Krasnor, 1992). Lack of social competence is manifested as behavior Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. (Burt, Obradovic, Long, & Masten, 2008;Dirks, et al., 2007;Rubin & Burgess, 2002). NIH Public AccessStudies found that parenting is linked to the social competence of European American children (Zhou, et al., 2002). Minority children's social competence and behavior are challenged because their family is dealing with two cultures, which have different norms (Kim, Han, & McCubbin, 2007). For example, some of the discipline strategies that were brought from Korea by recently immigrated Korean parents (e.g., spanking, lack of expression of affection) do not fit well in the social norms of the US (Kim & Hong, 2007). When parents possess different beliefs about childrearing that deviates from cultural norms of society, they may develop negative relationships with their children, which in turn impai...

Korean American Parental Depressive Symptoms and Parental Acceptance–Rejection and Control

“…Korean American parental acceptancerejection was also found to significantly influence their adolescents' psychological problems (E. Kim, 2008b) and their children's social competence (E. Kim, Han, & McCubbin, 2007). Maternal kissing, hugging, correction of mistakes, and reasoning were linked to social competence of children while paternal harsh discipline (spanking, hitting) was related to children's conduct behavior problems (E. Kim, Guo, Koh, & Cain, 2010).…”

Pilot Study of the Korean Parent Training Program Using a Partial Group‐Randomized Experimental Study

“…Studies found 41% of KA children had behavior problems while 35% of U.S. children experienced similar problems (Kim, Guo, et al., ; Webster‐Stratton & Hammond, ). KA children also scored significantly higher on depressive symptomatology than European American children (Nahm, ).…”

“…The most important protective and risk factors related to KA child mental health were parenting practices and acculturation. Protective parenting practices included parental warmth, reasoning, and expressions of affection through hugging/kissing and saying “I love you” (Kim et al., ; Kim, Guo, et al., ). In contrast, risk parenting factors included parental rejection, physical punishment, intergenerational acculturation conflicts, and parental depression (Kim, , 2008a, 2008b, , ; Kim & Cain, ; Kim, Cain, & McCubbin, ; Kim et al., ; Kim, Guo, et al., ).…”

“…Protective parenting practices included parental warmth, reasoning, and expressions of affection through hugging/kissing and saying “I love you” (Kim et al., ; Kim, Guo, et al., ). In contrast, risk parenting factors included parental rejection, physical punishment, intergenerational acculturation conflicts, and parental depression (Kim, , 2008a, 2008b, , ; Kim & Cain, ; Kim, Cain, & McCubbin, ; Kim et al., ; Kim, Guo, et al., ). Parental rejection was related to children's behavior problems and social competence and adolescents' psychological adjustment and depression (Kim, 2008b, ; Kim & Cain, ; Kim et al., ; Kim, Guo, et al., ) while physical punishment was linked to behavior problems (Kim, Guo, et al., ).…”

Relationships between parenting practices and perceptions of child behaviour among Korean immigrant mothers and fathers

“…For example, Kim et al () found that maternal negative parenting practices were associated with increased risks for later internalising behavioural problems in adolescents, while paternal negative parenting practices were linked to an increase in adolescents' externalising behavioural problems. In contrast, in a sample of parents of children aged 3–8 years, Kim, Guo, Koh, and Cain () found that only paternal parenting practices (e.g., harsh discipline) were linked to child behaviour problems.…”