Myth vs Reality: Both NUS research studies challenge the belief that strict, controlling parenting creates rule-following children. Instead, harsh discipline predicts increased cheating and deceptive behaviors as children develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. Credit: National University of Singapore
Parents who come down hard on their children for telling lies or misbehaving may believe they are teaching the child right from wrong. But new research by NUS suggests that overly strict or punitive parenting could be part of what drives the behavior in the first place.
Drawing on two long-term studies of Singaporean families, researchers from NUS Psychology found that "authoritarian parenting" and "harsh punishment" were associated with greater dishonesty in children across early and middle childhood. The studies suggest this is not out of defiance, but rather a way for 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. The researchers observed that these children also tended to be harder on themselves.
The second study , published in Developmental Psychology , followed schoolchildren over three years and found that children subjected to physical punishment, such as 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 Liwen Yu. The second study was also led by Associate Professor Ryan Y. Hong of 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 4 1/2 years old and measured cheating behavior 1 1/2 years later using a dart game.
The study found that 61% of children cheated, with strict paternal parenting at age 4 1/2 significantly predicting this behavior.
"Authoritarian parenting is characterized by high control, low warmth and harsh discipline without explanation. While parents may believe this approach instills discipline, our research shows it may actually undermine children's internalization 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 conducted 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," Yu said.
"To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the developmental mechanisms linking a discipline-oriented family environment to cheating behavior," she said.
Harsh punishment breeds deception in schoolchildren
The second study followed 302 Singaporean families with children ages 7 to 9, examining whether negative parental control predicted children's deceptive behaviors over time.
Negative parental control comprises harsh punishment, discipline and ignoring. Of the three, only harsh punishment, which includes physical punishment such as slapping and spanking, was found to increase children's lying and cheating over time.
Harsh parental punishment at age 7 significantly predicted increased deceptive behavior at age 8, with this pattern continuing at age 9. The relationship also worked both ways: Children's deceptive behavior at age 8 predicted harsher parental punishment at age 9, suggesting a troubling cycle.
The study also identified children's dysfunctional attitudes, such as believing they must do well to be liked, as an important pathway linking harsh punishment to dishonest behavior.
"Children exposed to higher levels of negative parental control were more likely to internalize 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 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, the 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 l…
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