León, J., Oré, B., Benavides, M., Conde, G. & Miranda, A. (2021). El efecto de las prácticas parentales en el desarrollo infantil en comunidades urbanas y rurales de la selva peruana [Documento de Investigación, 120]. Lima: GRADE.

Development during the first years of life predicts optimal outcomes in the life trajectory and future of boys and girls. Today it is known that it is influenced by a complex range of individual, family and contextual variables. However, there are few studies in Peru that address this issue from a comprehensive approach, considering all these levels; and much less in a cultural context like that of the jungle. This study uses data from 490 families in this region to estimate the effect of parenting practices on child development of children under 3 years of age, controlling for the effect of multiple characteristics of children, their caregivers, relatives and communities. The findings show that positive parenting practices have a beneficial and differentiated effect on all areas of child development (fine motor, gross motor, hearing-language and personal social). This effect is maintained after controlling for individual, family and contextual variables. The findings provide inputs to analyze and highlight different proposals related to public policies aimed at early childhood development (ECD) in Peru.