A slap may teach obedience, but it can harm a girl’s emotional well-being long-term. Image Credit: Sahm
I recently saw several studies that indicated there is a higher prevalence of depression among girls than boys during adolescence. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2025), about 26.5% of girls aged 12 to 19 report depressive symptoms, compared with 12.2% of boys. I became interested in exploring why these gender differences exist and whether differences in how parents discipline their children could be one factor that might have contributed to the higher prevalence of depression among girls.
Research shows that there is a strong relationship between parenting and the emotional development of a child. Discipline is necessary as a form of guidance; however, the use of harsh or extreme forms of discipline (e.g., yelling or physical punishment) may produce unintended adverse consequences on a child's emotional development during adolescence. By understanding the effect of discipline, parents will be better able to support the emotional health and well-being of their children.
In a longitudinal study conducted by Catherine Iselin et al. (2022), mothers and fathers were followed from their child's age of eleven through early adolescence to determine the effect of harsh maternal and paternal discipline on their children. The authors found that maternal harsh disciplinary practices were positively correlated with rumination (the involuntary repetition of negative thoughts) in teenage girls, while there was no correlation between maternal harsh disciplinary practices and boys' rumination.
In addition, there was no association between paternal harsh disciplinary practices and either boys or girls. This study also indicated that maternal harsh discipline had greater effects in cultures where it is not viewed as a common parenting practice. Children in these cultures are accustomed to receiving warmth and support from their parents, extended family members, and family friends. Harsh forms of discipline can therefore create feelings of unfairness, disappointment, and rejection, resulting in rumination (repeat negative thought patterns) and consequently higher rates of anxiety and depression among girls.
By contrast, in cultures where harsh forms of discipline are the norm, children may understand that such discipline is an acceptable form of parenting, and thus the effects of harsh discipline may be less harmful to their mental health outcomes.
The authors found that girls were particularly affected by their mothers' use of harsh discipline, which could be one factor that helps explain the apparent gender difference in depression prevalence. Continuously criticising or punishing girls may increase the likelihood that they will continue to ruminate or dwell on these negative experiences.
To reduce the risk of girls developing anxiety and/or depression as a result of maternal harsh discipline, parents should implement nurturing forms of communication (such as positive reinforcement), set limits on the amount of harsh discipline they utilise, and assist or collaborate with their daughters in learning coping strategies for overcoming difficult situations (e.g., mindfulness, journaling, and stress management). Parents should also seek supportive resources outside the home, such as schools, community programmes, and extended family, to assist their children in building resilience.
In conclusion, maternal harsh discipline can negatively impact girls' mental health throughout their lives, but providing warmth, direction, and emotional support will help girls develop healthy coping strategies and stronger emotional resilience.
Reference:
Iselin, A.-M., et al. (2022). Pathways from maternal harsh discipline through rumination to anxiety and depression symptoms: Gender and normativeness of harsh discipline as moderators. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9979779/
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Depression prevalence in adolescents and adults: United States https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db527.htm
