Psychology of Violence, Vol 15(6), Nov 2025, 670-681; doi:10.1037/vio0000651
Objective: Research links high ambient temperatures to aggressive behavior, and recent work suggests that heat may increase violence against children in the home, including violent punishment against children. However, evidence on the effects of high temperature on parental punishment and discipline is limited. This study examines the acute effects of high temperatures on the parental use of violent punishment and nonviolent discipline across six countries. Method: We merged geolocated data from six Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys with climatic data from the European Reanalysis 5-Land. The sample included 19,607 mother–child dyads (children aged 36–59 months) in 3,646 sampling clusters. Using natural temperature variation, we assessed the acute effects of higher-than-typical regional and seasonal temperatures on subsequent physical punishment, severe physical punishment, psychological aggression, and nonviolent discipline. Results: Linear regression models and alternative binned specifications accounting for baseline climate conditions and other covariates showed that a 1 standard deviation increase in recent mean maximum temperature was associated with a 4- to 8-percentage-point increase in severe physical punishment and a 3- to 4-percentage-point increase in psychological aggression. No consistent associations emerged for milder physical punishment or nonviolent discipline. Effects were consistent across child and household characteristics. Conclusions: Findings suggest that atypically high temperatures heighten the risk of violent punishment against young children. Further research should explore mechanisms and moderators to inform policies and programs to promote positive parenting and child protection in a warming world. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)