NUS research reveals how parenting styles influence children’s honesty

“Parents who come down hard on their children for telling lies or misbehaving may believe that they are teaching the child right from wrong. But new research by NUS suggests that both overly strict or punitive parenting could be part of what drives the behaviour in the first place. Drawing on two long-term studies of Singaporean families, researchers from NUS Psychology found that ‘authoritarian parenting’ and ‘harsh punishments’ were associated with greater dishonesty in children across early and middle childhood. The studies suggest that this is not out of defiance, but a way for the children to cope with self-criticism, the pressure to perform and the fear of making mistakes. The first study, published in the academic journal Child Development , tracked preschoolers and found that those whose fathers were stricter and enforced rules with little explanation were more likely to cheat later on. The researchers observed that these children also tended to be harder on themselves. The second study, published in Developmental Psychology , followed school-going children over three years and found that children subjected to physical punishment like spanking were more likely to cheat and lie over time. The studies were led by NUS Psychology’s Associate Professor Ding Xiao Pan and doctoral student Ms Liwen Yu. The second study was also led by Associate Professor Ryan Y. Hong from NUS Psychology. Authoritarian parenting promotes cheating through self-criticism The first study examined 479 families who participated in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO*) birth cohort study, one of Singapore’s largest and most comprehensive birth cohort studies. Researchers assessed parenting styles via a parental questionnaire when children were four and a half years old and measured cheating behaviour a year and a half later using a dart game. The study found that 61 per cent of children cheated, with strict paternal parenting at age four and a half years significantly predicting this behaviour. “Authoritarian parenting is characterised by high control, low warmth and harsh discipline without explanation. While parents may believe this approach instils discipline, our research shows it may actually undermine children’s internalisation of moral values,” said Assoc Prof Ding. Researchers found that children’s self-criticism helped explain this link. Children with stricter and more controlling fathers were more self-critical in a sketching task done as part of the study, which predicted a greater likelihood of cheating. “Self-critical children may feel intense pressure to maintain a flawless image and cheating becomes a maladaptive coping strategy. It is a way to avoid feelings of inadequacy and secure external validation," Ms Yu explained. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the developmental mechanisms linking a discipline-oriented family environment to cheating behaviour,” she noted. Harsh punishment breeds deception in school-going children The second study followed 302 Singaporean families with school-going children aged seven to nine years, examining whether negative parental control predicted children’s deceptive behaviours over time. Negative parental control comprises harsh punishment, discipline and ignoring. Of the three, only harsh punishment, which includes physical punishment like slapping and spanking, was found to increase children’s lying and cheating over time. Harsh parental punishment at age seven significantly predicted increased deceptive behaviour at age eight, with this pattern continuing into age nine. The relationship also worked both ways: children’s deceptive behaviour at age eight predicted harsher parental punishment at age nine, suggesting a troubling cycle. The study also identified children’s dysfunctional attitudes, like believing they must do well to be liked, as an important pathway linking harsh punishment to dishonest behaviour. “Children exposed to higher levels of negative parental control were more likely to internalise dysfunctional beliefs such as ‘I have to do well to be liked’ or ‘I shouldn’t make mistakes’. They may then resort to lying to meet these unrealistic expectations or avoid further punishment,” said Ms Yu. Cultural context and practical implications Singapore is a useful setting for the studies because strict, obedience-oriented parenting and physical discipline remain relatively common. However, even in Singapore, where authoritarian parenting is more culturally accepted, findings suggest it still poses risks for children’s moral development. “What both studies reveal is that strict parenting doesn’t directly cause dishonesty. Rather, it changes how children see themselves, and it’s this altered self-view that leads to cheating and lying,” said Assoc Prof Hong. The research team acknowledges that dishonest behaviour in children is multifaceted and influenced by cognitive development, social factors and individual differences. However, these studies provide crucial evidence that parenting practices play a significant role during critical developmental periods. Ms Yu said, “Understanding these developmental pathways is essential for designing effective interventions. Rather than responding to children’s dishonesty with harsher punishment, which our research shows may actually worsen the problem, parents and educators need to address the underlying psychological mechanisms.” *About GUSTO Set up in 2009, GUSTO (Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes) is a nationwide birth cohort study involving collaborators from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), National University Health System (NUHS), National University of Singapore (NUS), and A*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential (A*STAR IHDP). It is a longitudinal study of Singaporean mothers and their offspring. Since its inception, the study has recruited 1,247 Singaporean pregnant women as volunteers. These volunteers are studied extensively during their pregnancy, and their offspring are closely followed up as they grow up. GUSTO aims to understand how conditions during pregnancy and early childhood may affect the mothers’ and children’s health, growth and development, as well as metabolic, neurodevelopmental and other conditions – all of which are of major public health and economic importance in Asia and around the globe.

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