Time-out under scrutiny: examining the relationships among the discipline strategy time-out, child well-being and attachment and exposure to adversity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Discipline is a crucial aspect of parenting, shaping child development and behaviour. Time-out, a widely used disciplinary strategy with a strong evidence-base, has recently come under scrutiny with concerns about potential adverse effects on children's emotional development and attachment, particularly for those with a history of adversity.

Aims

To contribute critical empirical insights to the current controversy surrounding time-out by exploring the associations among time-out implementation, parent-child attachment and child mental health, and whether adversity exposure moderated these associations.

Method

This cross-sectional study utilised a nationally representative sample of 474 primary caregivers in Australia, with children aged 6-8 years, who compl

SUBMITTER: Roach A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12355463 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature