How parents discipline their children has been subject to intense academic scrutiny for more than a century. Despite this attention, the practices parents choose to use generally in their parenting is not well understood. Nor is it well understood how parents are informed and influenced in their choice of practices. This research examined the prosocial parenting strategies that parents choose to use as part of their discipline practices, and the sources of information that influence and support their choices.

Findings:

Findings reveal that parents generally report choosing to use prosocial strategies over coercive strategies, and it appears the information they receive impacts upon their practices. Insights into the information sources that inform and influence parents, reveal the possible existence of a knowledge gap where not all parents are equally accessing the quality information they need.