Understanding the role of positive parenting behaviors on girl child marriage in Ethiopia, India, Vietnam and Peru: Evidence from a prospective cohort

Summary:

Despite numerous initiatives to end child marriage, it remains a challenge to the health and wellbeing of 650 million girls globally. As a prevention effort, the role of parents in enforcing or resisting social norms around child marriage requires more research. Using a life course perspective, we examined the role of two parenting determinants - parent child communication and parent-child relationship quality for girl child marriage. Data were analyzed from a multi-country (Ethiopia, India, Vietnam, Peru) cohort of girls (n=1648), followed from 8 to 19 years, from the Young Lives study. Parent-child communication and relationship quality (at age 12) were assessed by child reports of support, conversation, feeling loved, being treated fairly and parental report of pride in their child. Multivariate regression models assessed the effects of parenting determinants on age at marriage/cohabitation, adjusted for covariates. In multivariate models, parent-child communication was protective against child marriage but increased likelihood of marriage after legally permissible. Higher parent-child relationship quality was protective against very young marriages, before 16 years of age (moderate relationship quality ARRR: .23, 95% CI: .07-.72; high relationship quality ARRR: .34, 95% CI: .11-.99). Secondary school dropout, early menarche and rural residence put girls at risk for early marriage. Findings indicate that positive parenting interventions can play an important role in delaying very early marriages. Parents still may feel pressure to marry girls early at 18 years. Findings also highlight the need to study changing relationships between parents and girls during adolescence.

Background/Objectives

Child marriage remains a challenge for the health and well-being of 650 million girls, globally. With regard to prevention, the role of family, particularly parents, in enforcing or resisting social norms around child marriage requires more research. Parental behaviors via support, neglect or coercion may enforce gender inequitable norms. Interventions on parenting style and behaviors may support larger community initiatives to end the practice. Using a life course perspective, we examined the role of two parenting determinants - parent child communication and parent-child relationship quality in preventing or delaying marriage for girls using data from four world regions.

Description Of Intervention And/or Methods/Design

Data were analyzed from four rounds of the Young Lives study, a multi-country prospective cohort study of girls (n=1648) from Ethiopia, India, Vietnam and Peru. Girls were surveyed at age eight and followed from 2002 to 2013. Parent-child communication and relationship quality were assessed at age 12 based on parent-child conversation, perception of support, feeling loved, being treated fairly and parental report of pride in their child. Age at first marriage or cohabitation was reported in Round 4 (age 19). Multivariate regression models assessed the effects of parent-child communication and relationship quality on girl age at marriage, adjusted for secondary school dropout, age at menarche, maternal education and sociodemographic factors.

Results/Lessons Learned

While cross-contextual differences were noted with India and Ethiopia reporting very early marriages (< 16 years) compared to Vietnam and Peru, pooled data showed that 18% of girls married as minors. In multivariate models, parent-child communication was found to be protective against child marriage but increased likelihood after marriage was legally permissible. Higher parent-child relationship quality was protective against very young marriages, before 16 years of age (moderate relationship quality ARRR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.07-0.72; high relationship quality ARRR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.11-0.99). Girls were at heightened risk of child marriage due to secondary school dropout or early menarche; girls in rural areas were at greater risk for very young marriages. Modifying social norms around the secondary education of girls or related to age at menarche may be useful as intervention opportunities to foster girl agency.

Discussion/Implications For The Field

Positive parenting and child development interventions can play an important role in delaying very early marriages for girls, but findings show that parents may feel pressure to marry girls early once legally permissible. The role of parents in supporting or coercing girls to marry and the interaction of positive parenting with community or social pressures around early marriage needs more study. Findings also highlight the need to study changing relationships between parents and girls during adolescence alongside developmental and social factors such as menarche and returns to schooling, to understand how these encourage autonomy and agency among girls across contexts.

Abstract submitted by: 

Nandita Bhan

Leslie Gautsch - University of California San Diego

Lotus McDougal - University of California San Diego

Charlotte Lapsansky - UNICEF