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Review
. 2023 Dec 15;20(24):7187.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20247187.

Using Non-Violent Discipline Tools: Evidence Suggesting the Importance of Attunement

Karen R Quail  1 , Catherine L Ward  1
Affiliations
Review

Using Non-Violent Discipline Tools: Evidence Suggesting the Importance of Attunement

Karen R Quail et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Training in non-violent discipline is important to prevent violence against children and ensure that their caregivers remain a safe base for them. This paper aims to deepen understanding of non-violent discipline by exploring attunement as a mechanism in the effectiveness of non-violent discipline tools. Attunement describes the sensitive responsiveness of caregivers towards their children and has been found to be central to the formation of secure attachment bonds and development of self-regulation. It includes understanding or being "in tune with" the child's needs and signals, matching these with appropriate responses. The objective of this paper is to explore attunement in relation to non-violent discipline. Peer-reviewed systematic reviews previously included in a systematic overview of evidence on non-violent discipline options were screened for information relevant to attunement. All reviews were published in English between 1999 and 2018 and offered evidence on at least one non-violent discipline tool. Although no reviews explicitly addressed attunement, evidence was found suggesting its importance in the use and effectiveness of discipline methods. Research directly investigating attunement in discipline is needed.

Keywords: attachment; attunement; behavior management; classroom management; discipline; parenting.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflict of interest for either the author or for the research assistants. The first author runs workshops on non-violent discipline interventions. Workshop materials were adjusted based on the evidence found here, and not the other way around.

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