What does the evidence say about time-out?
Rachel M. Knight and her team of researchers (2019) looked at long-term data that tracked children from Early Head Start with assessments at three time periods: Age 0 - 3 years, prekindergarten, and fifth grade. The measures examined emotional and behavioral functioning as well as parent-child relationships.
What were the results?
"Analyses for all outcome variables suggest no significant difference for children whose parents reported using time-out versus those who did not."
And their conclusion?
"Parental reported use of time-out was not associated with long-term negative outcomes. Further research in this area is necessary to continue to address the multitude of concerns related to time-out that are presented by the media."
Journal Link Online (published 11 September 2019 online before the print version)
https://journals.lww.com/jrnldbp/Abstract/publishahead/Longitudinal_Relationship_Between_Time_Out_and.99158.aspx?PRID=JDP_PR_091219
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Learn more about evidence-based discipline in Discipline with Respect.
You can read a press release with quotes from other clinicians at this BBC link.