TV viewing may lead to increased aggression in toddlers

U.S. researchers have found that TV viewing affects toddlers' behavior: the more watched, the more aggressive the behavior.

For the study, researchers at State University of New York collected data from the home and by telephone for 3,128 children born between 1998 and 2000. The children came from 20 large U.S. cities, and their mothers completed surveys when the child was born, and again at ages 1 and 3.

The study found that direct TV watching by young children or exposure to indirect viewing in the household were both associated with increased aggression in small children.

"For every hour that a child watched TV directly, aggression went up 0.16 on a scale of zero to 30. For a TV being on in the house, it was 0.09," said study author Jennifer A. Manganello, an assistant professor of health communication at the University of Albany School of Public Health, State University of New York.

The researchers came to the conclusion after controlling the data for other factors, such as maternal depression, living in an unsafe neighborhood and being spanked.

"TV was more likely than some other factors to increase aggressive behaviors," said Manganello.

"A take-home message from this study is that parents should think about how much TV kids are watching themselves, but also think about the overall media environment in the home," said Manganello.

This research was published in the November issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

"Exposure to violence in media, including television, movies, music and video games, represents a significant risk to the health of children and adolescents," the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) commented. "Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares and fear of being harmed," wrote the AAP Council on Communications and Media.

Source: Xinhua