TV & Violence in Children

Too much screen time interferes with physical activity, reading, homework and playing.

Research on TV and violence in children shows that, "While TV violence is not the only cause of aggressive or violent behavior, it is clearly a significant factor," according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). Parents can combat the violent messages children are receiving by teaching good TV habits from an early age.

 

TV Watching Habits

Oregon State University states, "Children spend more time watching TV than any other activity except sleeping. By the time they graduate from high school, most children will have spent 15,000 hours watching TV, compared to 11,000 in school." KidsHealth adds that children younger than 6, including infants and toddlers, spend 2 hours per day watching TV. This doubles for children 8 and older.

Message of Violence

Although people disagree as to its impact, there is a consensus that children are viewing a growing number of violent episodes on TV. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reports a study showing that two-thirds of TV programs contain an average of six violent acts per hour. However, less than 5 percent of them promoted alternatives to or consequences of violence. Both children's cartoons and prime-time shows feature increasing violence.

Effect on Children

Many people worry that children are becoming desensitized to the horrific nature of violence, viewing it as an acceptable solution without consequences and imitating the aggressiveness they see on TV, advises the AACAP. KFF explains that some children might become less empathetic to other people's feelings and less responsive to violence in the real world. It's difficult to predict which children will become violent but AACAP speculates, "Children with emotional, behavioral, learning or impulse control problems may be more easily influenced by TV violence."

What Parents Can Do

AACAP counsels parents to be aware of what their children are watching and engage them in dialogue about their shows to build critical thinking skills. Watch with them and limit TV privileges. Keep the TV out of their bedroom. Do not have it on during meals and homework. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV for age 2 and younger and a maximum of 2 hours per day thereafter. Provide active alternatives and quality family time when the TV goes off.

References

• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Children and TV Violence; November 2002
• Nemours: KidsHealth: How TV Affects Your Child; Mary L. Gavin, M.D.; October 2008
• The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: Key Facts: TV Violence; Spring 2003
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Pulling the Plug on TV Violence
• Oregon State University Extension: Managing Children's TV Habits; Cindee M. Bailey; February 2006

Resources

• Psychiatric Times: TV Violence and Brainmapping; John P. Murray, Ph.D; Oct. 1, 2001
• Media Awareness Network: Television Violence; Wendy L. Josephson, Ph.D; February 1995