What is it to discipline a child: What should it be? A reanalysis of time-out from the perspective of child mental health, attachment, and trauma.

Abstract

Parental discipline strategies are a necessary and critical aspect of positive child development. Their qualities confer risk versus protection for the development of mental health problems. Time-out from positive reinforcement is now one of the most common and well-researched discipline procedures across the world, with overwhelming evidence to support its efficacy and acceptability. It has also recently attracted considerable criticism from writers evoking child well-being considerations based on attachment theory. The main concern is that the removal of a child to time-out exposes the child to a break in attachment security and, for children with trauma histories, potentially causes harm. Here, we consider what a discipline strategy should be from a mental health perspective and, utilizing the best available models of developmental mental health and psychopathology, derive five axioms for judging and guiding the worth and acceptability of any particular discipline strategy. We then use these axioms to evaluate and specify how time-out can be used in a way that maximizes positive child outcomes, and then review its use with children who have experienced complex trauma. We show that time-out, when conceptualized and enacted consistently with contemporary models of learning, attachment, self-regulation, and family systems theory, is actually a positive perturbation to these systems that can rapidly remediate problems the child is experiencing, and thereby generally enhances child well-being. Clinical, research, and policy implications are briefly discussed.

Are They Different in Their Relationship Perceptions? Cross-Cultural Comparison between U.S. and Turkish Preschoolers

“…Considering the Turkish sample, it is thought that any approach of the teacher the restricts or hurts children via "getting mad/yelling," "punishing," sending to "time-out," and even "imposing physical punishment" may cause children to react against the teacher. Even if "time-out" can be used as a behavior management strategy, adults should be careful as there are some cases, as shown by our findings, when it might turn out to be a part of negative behavior management style (Dadds & Tully, 2019). As mentioned earlier, relationships are mutually reflected, and the negative relationship cycle can lead to dissatisfaction in the relationship, and this pattern can persist over and over again, potentially worsening over time (Allen, 2010;Mayer, 2000).…”

From doubt to trust: Swedish mothers’ and counsellors’ experience testing a parenting programme for mothers exposed to intimate partner violence whose children have developed behavioural problems

“…The conceptualisation of, for example, Time-out or other skills for responding to misbehavior wary depending on psychological theory (Dadds & Tully, 2019) and it is important to use descriptions appropriate and acceptable to the Swedish context.…”

In vivo social regulation of high-risk parenting: A conceptual model of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for child maltreatment prevention

“…The parent learns a set discipline sequence which begins with a clear specific instruction to the child and follows with contingent praise for compliance or progression through a structured discipline sequence that moves from a specifically worded warning to a brief (3minute) timeout from attention for noncompliance. Time-out from positive reinforcement is a very effective behavior management technique when implemented correctly (e.g., Dadds & Tully, 2019), one that gives the maltreating parent alternatives to their habitual more harsh or erratic discipline techniques. Children are introduced to this new focus of treatment with an explanation that they will practice "minding and listening," that is, doing what their caregiver says, and a demonstration to ensure the child understands.…”