There is good news for parents who are in two minds about the merits of using time-outs as a form of punishment. Research from the University of Michigan in the USA says there is evidence to show time-outs can be an effective discipline strategy for children aged between two and eight years. Researchers say parents do not need to fret about their parenting skills if they give time-outs to misbehaving children as they do not harm children's mental wellbeing or their relationship with their parents. In an eight-year study, researchers compared the emotional health and behavior in children whose parents used time-outs with those who didn't. They found there was no difference in the children.

对于家长们来说，有一个好消息是，他们对利用休息时间作为一种惩罚方式的好处有两种看法。美国密歇根大学的研究表明，有证据表明，对于2到8岁的孩子来说，暂停学习是一种有效的纪律策略。研究人员说，如果父母给行为不端的孩子计时隔离，不必担心他们的育儿技巧，因为他们不会损害孩子的心理健康或与父母的关系。在一项为期八年的研究中，研究人员比较了父母使用休息时间和不使用休息时间的孩子的情绪健康和行为，发现孩子之间没有差异。

Time-outs are a form of discipline used by parents to modify their children's behavior. It usually involves sending children to a quiet space or quiet corner. The aim is for children to reflect on their behavior. Scientists have disagreed about the effectiveness of this strategy. Dr Rachel Knight said: "Some reports in the media and by select organizations have suggested that time-out is ineffective and even harmful." She added: "There are some alarming claims that time-outs can damage the parent-child relationship and negatively affect emotional health, but the research simply doesn't support those claims." Dr Knight concluded: "We did not find a relationship between time-outs and negative side effects in children."

计时隔离是父母用来改变孩子行为的一种纪律。它通常包括送孩子到一个安静的地方或安静的角落。目的是让孩子们反思自己的行为。科学家们对这一策略的有效性存在分歧。雷切尔·奈特博士说：“媒体和一些特定组织的一些报道表明，计时隔离是无效的，甚至是有害的。”她补充说：“有一些令人担忧的说法称，计时隔离会损害亲子关系，并对情绪健康产生负面影响，但这项研究根本不支持这些说法。”奈特博士总结道：“我们没有发现儿童的计时隔离和负面副作用之间的关系。”