Influence of Religious Beliefs on Parenting Practices and Child Discipline in Kwara State

This study examines the influence of religious beliefs on parenting practices and child discipline approaches among parents in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. Kwara State occupies a unique cultural position at the intersection of northern and south-western Nigerian religious and cultural traditions, making it an important site for studying how Christianity and Islam shape caregiving behaviour. Using a qualitative-quantitative mixed methods design, the study recruited 340 parents from Ilorin, Offa, and Omu-Aran, representing Muslim and Christian households. Parenting practices were assessed using the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, and in-depth interviews explored the religious justifications parents gave for specific disciplinary choices. Quantitative results indicate that Christian parents reported higher levels of positive parenting and lower rates of harsh discipline compared to Muslim parents, though within-group variability was substantial. Qualitative findings reveal that both religious groups appealed to scriptural or doctrinal authority to justify their child discipline styles, with interpretations varying considerably across denominational and denominational lines. Socioeconomic status and parental education emerged as important confounders. The study recommends that community and faith-based parenting programmes in Kwara State incorporate positive discipline principles within culturally and religiously sensitive frameworks. Keywords: religious beliefs, parenting practices, child discipline, Kwara State, positive parenting.