Researchers link exposures to media violence with aggressive behavior
Contact: Lynn Odell, NYU School of Medicine, 212-263-5800
Embargo: Saturday, May 13, 10:15 am
Preschool children who frequently watch violent television shows or play violent video games are much more likely to engage in aggressive, destructive, and antisocial behavior, according to a new study by New York University School of Medicine researchers.
The study evaluated the influence of television programs or video games featuring realistic violence such as gun shootings, fights, explosions, and killings on the behavior of preschool children between the ages of two and six. The research was led by Asha Daniel, M.D., Fellow in Academic General Pediatrics, and Alan Mendelsohn, M.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, both from the Department of Pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine.
They presented their findings at a joint meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Pediatric Academic Societies held in Boston in mid May.
"The study strongly suggests an association between media violence and young children's antisocial behavior," says Dr. Mendelsohn, who also is Associate Director of the Pediatric Clinic at Bellevue Hospital Center, an affiliate of New York University School of Medicine. "Violent computer games in particular are becoming part of preschoolers' daily lives, and we are concerned that these games are associated with antisocial behavior in young children."
"Studies in school-age children and adolescents have previously found a link between media violence and antisocial behavior," says Dr. Daniel. "However, we don't know a lot about the effects of media violence on very young, preschool children, and we were really alarmed by our findings."
The investigators assessed the behavior of 79 young children whose families had come to the Pediatrics Clinic at Bellevue Hospital in New York City for pediatric general and subspecialty care.
Using a standard measure called the Child Behavior Check List, parents were asked about their children's behavior, including whether they were disruptive, fought with other family members, hit other children, and destroyed property. Parents also were asked about their children's habits regarding television and computer games, including how frequently their children watched television violence and played violent video games. Frequent exposure was defined as several times a week or more.
The researchers found that children who were frequently exposed to media violence were 11 times more likely to exhibit high levels of aggressive and antisocial behavior compared with children in the study who weren't frequently exposed. This statistically significant association was independent of other influences, including the child's age, dysfunctional parent-child interactions, involvement with child protection services, and witnessing domestic violence (15% of the families reported domestic violence).
Dr. Daniel said the study's results underscore the need for parents to get more involved with their children, and she advised parents to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations regarding media violence. The recommendations include:
* Limit television-viewing time to 1 to 2 hours a day.
* Make sure you know what TV shows your children watch, which movies they see, and what kinds of video games they play.
* Talk to your children about the violence that they see on TV shows, in the movies, and in video games. Help them understand the effects of such violence in real life and the serious consequences for violent behaviors.
* Discuss with your children ways to solve problems without violence.
Bellevue Hospital Center and NYU School of Medicine's commitment to the developmental and behavioral needs of children is reflected by a variety of special programs that address the needs of disadvantaged families. Such programs include literacy promotion through Reach Out and Read, an adolescent-mother parenting program, a program for families in which a parent has a problem with substance abuse, and the Early Intervention Program, which identifies and helps children with developmental problems. "As a result of this study," says Dr. Mendelsohn, "we are now incorporating discussion of media violence into the parenting programs run by our Child Life staff. As with other behavioral and developmental issues, the potential for benefit is greatest if we can intervene early."
In addition to Drs. Mendelsohn and Daniel, the following researchers from NYU School of Medicine conducted the study: Lori Legano, M.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics; Michael Vergara, M.D., Fellow in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics; Benard Dreyer, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Associate Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics; Arthur Fierman, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Director of the Pediatric Clinic at Bellevue; Marci Klein, M.D, Fellow in Academic General Pediatrics; Ian Waxman and Rebecca Welles, medical students; and Lowell Anderson, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Psychiatry.
New York University School of Medicine spans a history of excellence of more than 155 years in the education and training of physicians, patient care, and scientific research. Its faculty members are attending physicians at Tisch Hospital, Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Hospital for Joint Diseases, and Bellevue Hospital, one of the largest municipal hospitals in North America.
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