Violent discipline at home affects school productivity of kids - study

Violence against children at home leaves profound lasting effects on their educational outcomes, slashing children's staying in school by half, a Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) research found.

Nearly two in five Filipino children experience physical or emotional violence from a parent by age 10, according to the study authored by PIDS project technical specialist Aaron Carlos Manuel.

“While a child's development is expected to flourish at home, for these children, home is where fear and harm begin,” Manuel noted.  

He explained that “early childhood experiences shape mental health outcomes,” affecting how violence may influence emotional regulation, behavior, and engagement in school.

The research tracked nearly 5,000 children from late childhood to young adulthood and found that 39.5 percent of 10-year-olds experienced physical or emotional violence from a parent in the past six months.

This mirrors global patterns, with “about half of the global child population experiencing some form of violence at some point in their lives," the author noted.



Early exposure weakens schooling outcomes

Children exposed to parental violence at age 10 were about 50 percent less likely to be enrolled in school by age 14 to 15. Most children remain in school overall, but those who are unenrolled are disproportionately from homes where violence occurs.

“For example, out of 1,000 children, enrollment is still very high at 96 percent. But among the few who are not enrolled, a larger share comes from the children who were exposed to parental violence,” Manuel said.

Both boys and girls show reduced odds of staying enrolled, though the link is statistically stronger for boys, he added.

The study also showed that these children tend to start school with weaker skills. About one in four of them score low in math, reading, and science, and their average IQs are lower.

Later on, their school performance continues to trend lower, but the differences are not substantial enough to be statistically significant.



Call for better measurement and stronger interventions

Dr. Alejandro Herrin, visiting research fellow at the University of San Carlos-Office of Population Studies, stressed the need to improve how the country measures violence, noting that current survey tools do not capture key elements such as intention and repetition. He also recommended examining violence alongside bullying by peers and adults.

“What is not clear is how close we are to measuring that concept,” Herrin said, explaining that Philippine laws and international standards often include elements—such as “intention” and “repetition”—that are not fully captured in current survey tools.

Herrin added that future analyses should examine violence alongside bullying by peers, adults, and classmates.

Furthermore, Manuel stressed the need for stronger prevention and support systems.

He highlighted the importance of early interventions combining positive parenting programs, school-based initiatives, and community support.

“To ensure the success, multi-sector collaboration is important… With the leadership of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of the Interior Local Government Unit, [we need to strengthen data systems] to allow more comprehensive understanding of how violence really shapes learning trajectories,” Manuel said.