Parenting Practices and Child Development in Children Aged 0 to 4 Years: An Analysis of Autonomy, Limit Setting, Negotiation Capacity, and Decision-Making

Abstract

Objectives: Analyze parenting practices related to autonomy, limit setting, negotiation capacity, and parental decision-making and examine their association with child development in children aged 0 to 4 years living in 12 socioeconomically vulnerable peri-urban neighborhoods in our state. Methods: A total of 528 children and their families were assessed during comprehensive pediatric care visits. Parenting practices were evaluated focusing on dimensions such as limit setting, autonomy, negotiation, and decision-making. Child development was assessed using the validated National Developmental Screening Test. Statistical analyses included frequency distributions, chisquare tests, and odds ratios (95% CI). Ethical approval was obtained. Results: More than half (56.66%) of caregivers showed significant difficulties (p < .0001) in key parenting practices, including setting clear limits, promoting autonomy, and negotiating with their child. Being older than 2 years was associated with increased risk in development (p < .0176; OR = 3.63). Children who failed the developmental screening were more likely to be exposed to these style of parenting practices (p < .0001; OR = 22.22). Conclusions: Inflexible parenting styles—lacking a balance of firmness and responsiveness—were found to be potential obstacles to early childhood development, especially concerning the child’s autonomy and decision-making about health and daily routines. Early intervention strategies should address these parenting dimensions to promote optimal developmental outcomes.