Very High Levels of Violent Discipline Among Children in Afghanistan: Prevalence, Determinants, and Socioeconomic Disparities

Introduction: Violent discipline affects millions of children globally, often justified as essential to child-rearing. This study examines the prevalence and determinants of any physical punishment, severe physical punishment, and psychological aggression towards children among Afghan caregivers. Method: We analyzed data from the Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2022-23, which included 23,568 households across all 34 provinces. Information on violent discipline was gathered for children aged 1–14 years. Analyses were adjusted for complex survey design, with Poisson regression assessing predictors of aggression towards children by caregivers, such as language, education, economic status, and child disabilities. Results: Findings revealed that 81.2% of Afghan children faced physical punishment, with higher rates in Pashto-speaking households (85.1%) and homes with younger heads (82.5%). Severe punishment affected 58.5% of children, especially in rural areas (60.6%) and Pashto-speaking households (65.0%). Psychological aggression impacted 82.8% of children, particularly those with disabilities (89.2%). Maternal education and economic status were protective factors, reducing physical punishment rates from 81.6% among uneducated mothers to 65.0% among educated mothers (p-value < 0.001), and from 81.9% in the poorest to 75.6% in the wealthiest households (p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: High rates of violent discipline of children in Afghanistan are concerning, especially among those families with low education, high poverty, and child disabilities. Findings highlight an urgent need for targeted interventions to protect children now and avoid lifelong consequences.