The Association between Paternal Job Stress and Maternal Child Corporal Punishment: Evidence from a Population-Based Survey in Metropolitan Japan

Abstract

Although child corporal punishment can lead to adverse health outcomes in children, this practice remains prevalent in Japan. This study investigates whether, under Asian family norms, fathers' job stress is a risk factor for mothers' frequent use of child corporal punishment. A study sample of 522 children ages 0 to 6 years was obtained from a population-based survey in Tokyo. Data from mothers' self-reports of maternal caretaker child corporal punishment were regressed on paternal job stress using logistic regression analysis. Covariates include child age (months), child gender, number of children in the household, maternal education, maternal adverse childhood experiences, and annual household income. Maternal psychological distress was hierarchically included in the model. Paternal job stress was significantly associated with maternal frequent use of child corporal punishment independent of maternal psychological distress and other known risk factors such as child's age, maternal education, and maternal adverse childhood experiences. The results indicate that job stress may be a risk factor for parental child corporal punishment. Employers can contribute to improving children's health and safety in the household by designing workforce policies to reduce employee's stress and by offering psychoeducational programs for parents.

Incidence of and improvement in inappropriate parental behaviors of mothers with young children: a retrospective cohort study conducted in collaboration with a local government

“…There are reports that financial problems heighten parents’ psychological stress and increase the risk of child abuse [ 33 ], such that by fulfilling the family’s material demands through financial support, inappropriate parental behaviors can be improved [ 41 ]. However, while many previous studies have cited economic poverty as a risk factor for inappropriate parental behaviors and highlighted the need for financial support, there is little evidence describing its effects [ 42 , 43 ]. In light of these points, the examination of the methods and effects of government services for families requiring financial support is an urgent need.…”

Parenting Style among Parents of a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Parent's occupation can also contribute to the implementation of parenting styles in children with autism. Masuda 16 states that private workers tend to use physical punishment as a form of power over their children and are less concerned with child's limitation.…”

Using Latent Class Analyses to Examine Health Disparities among Young Children in Socially Disadvantaged Families during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Parenting stress during school closure was self-reported by the parent using the 17-item Parental Stress Scale (PSS) [28], which measures their subjective feelings of strains, difficulties, and dissatisfaction as a parent under the COVID-19 pandemic on a 6-point scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree [7].…”

“…Furthermore, the degree of hardship can be influenced by the role of affected members in the family. There is evidence showing that maternal mental and physical diseases had differential impacts on children's health-related quality of life and behavior [6], and paternal job stress was associated with maternal frequent use of child physical punishment [7]. Thus, demographic characteristics such as disease history, income, and education level are widely used as indicators of family hardship.…”