Disciplinary practices and mental health among adolescents: a person-centered Approach

Abstract

Introduction: Disciplinary practices significantly impact adolescent behavior and mental health. This study aimed to identify discipline profiles reported by Mexican adolescents, examine sociodemographic factors associated with these profiles, and analyze their relationship with mental health outcomes, including depressive symptoms, suicide attempts, and alcohol use. Methods: Data were analyzed from the 2021 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT), including 3,373 adolescents (mean age = 13.42; 49.6% female) from various Mexican regions. Latent class analysis identified disciplinary patterns. Associations between sociodemographic variables and disciplinary profiles were examined using multinomial logistic regression. Logistic and linear regressions assessed the relationships between disciplinary practices and mental health outcomes. Results: Three disciplinary profiles were identified: low disciplinary control, non-physical disciplinary control, and coercive/physical disciplinary control. Adolescents living with their mothers or whose mothers had higher educational levels were more likely to experience non-physical discipline than low disciplinary control. Those living with their mother also had a higher probability of experiencing coercive/physical discipline. On the other hand, older adolescents evidenced a decreased likelihood of coercive/physical discipline. Both non-physical and coercive/physical discipline were associated with higher depressive symptoms, increased alcohol consumption and a higher likelihood of suicide attempts compared to low disciplinary control. Conclusions: The study highlights the prevalence and sociodemographic determinants of disciplinary practices among Mexican adolescents. It underscores the negative mental health impacts of coercive disciplinary methods, emphasizing the need for interventions promoting healthier disciplinary practices to improve adolescent well-being.