Subjective theories about parental discipline in parenting literature

Abstract

Introduction: Parental discipline is a topic frequently asked for advice by those who consult health professionals. It is related to parenting styles and has been scientifically studied regarding its effectiveness and impact on children.

Objective: To describe the subjective theories about parental discipline present in recommendations made by doctors and psychologists in books for parents in Spanish.

Material and Method: Thirteen books with advice for parents, written in Spanish by healthcare professionals published between 2000 and 2017 were analyzed. Data analysis was performed using Grounded Theory procedures adapted for the study of subjective theories, through open and axial coding. In addition, thematic codification was made to describe the cases, identifying subjective mottos and subjective theories for each case, which at the same time were grouped into superordinate subjective theories.

Results: The data were grouped into three general subjective theories about parental discipline in the books analyzed. These subjective theories differ from one another in the importance attributed to authority, punishment, and the necessity of parental discipline.

Conclusion: There are differences in parental discipline among the books. There is little scientific evidence on the subjective theories of the books. Results differ from historical analyses of these publications in other cultural and temporal contexts. The importance of developing practical guidelines on parental discipline based on evidence to guide parents by health professionals is highlighted.