Association of positive parenting practice with shaking and smothering among caregivers of infants in Japan

Background: Shaking and smothering behaviors in response to infant crying are life-threatening child abuse and often result in death. Although previous studies have explored risk factors to prevent infant abuse, few studies... [ view full abstract ]

Background: Shaking and smothering behaviors in response to infant crying are life-threatening child abuse and often result in death. Although previous studies have explored risk factors to prevent infant abuse, few studies have investigated how positive parenting practice is associated with shaking and smothering towards infants.
Objectives: To investigate the association of positive parenting practice with shaking and smothering among caregivers of 4-month infants in Japan.
Methods: A questionnaire was administered to parents who participated in a 4-month health checkup program in 45 municipalities of Aichi prefectures in 2012 (N=6,590). It asked frequency of shaking and smothering towards infants in the past month. Frequency of 1) reading books to a child, 2) playing with a child, 3) taking a child for a walk or to parks, and 4) visiting or having visit a friend or family member with a child around the same age were measured as positive parenting practice. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of positive parenting practice and infant abuse.
Results: Self-reported prevalence of shaking, smothering, and either shaking or smothering at least once in the past month was 3.9%, 2.7%, and 5.4%. We found that parents who read to their child more often were less likely to either shake or smother their child after demographics were adjusted (OR=0.76, 95% CI: 0.59–0.98). However, these associations became insignificant when postpartum situations were adjusted (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.65–1.12). Other positive parenting practice had no significant association with shaking and smothering (playing: OR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.46–1.39; taking a walk: OR=1.23, 95% CI: 0.93–1.61; visiting: OR=1.04, 95% CI: 0.78–1.39).
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that shaking and smothering in response to crying can occur regardless of frequency of positive parenting practice. Population-based prevention of shaking and smothering, that is, targeting all caregivers, is needed.