It's been debated for ages: Does violent TV lead to violent behavior? That's still an open question, but a new study suggests that watching positive programming can improve kids' behavior.
The research looked at 565 Seattle parents of 3-to-5-year-old kids, who were told to fill out diaries about their children's TV-viewing behaviors over the course of a year. Half the parents were coached for six months leading up to the study on getting their kids to watch more "positive" programming — say, Sesame Street or Dora the Explorer instead of Power Rangers. The other half were coached on getting their kids to eat healthier.
The results were relatively weak. After six months, both groups of kids showed behavior improvement, with the TV-viewing sample slightly above the healthy eating sample. After a year, there was no meaningful difference between the two. Low-income boys had the most short-term benefit, researchers said. Overall, though, the benefits faded over time.
The Associated Press reports the study has some flaws: The parents involved weren't told the purpose of the study, but researchers believe they figured it out after a few months, which might have affected the results.
Before the study, the kids in both samples averaged an hour and a half of TV-watching per day, with 25% being violent content. By the end, both groups had increased their viewing by about 10% per day — those in the TV-coaching sample watched more positive shows, where those in the healthy eating sample watched more violent programming.
The Los Angeles Times reports that preschool-aged kids spend an average of 4.4 hours watching TV every day — above the two-hour maximum recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
A similar study, conducted by the University of Otago in New Zealand, concluded that every extra hour of TV watched by children during the week — regardless of its content — increased their likelihood of having a criminal conviction by early adulthood. The research examined around 1,000 New Zealanders born between 1972 and 1973, and interviewed them regularly until age 26; it additionally reviewed the participants' mental health and criminal records.
The University of Washington study is set to be published in the online medical journal Pediatrics. Watch the video above to learn more.
How many hours of TV do your kids watch per day? Do you think programming has gotten more or less violent over the years? Tell us below.