Viewing preferences, symptoms of psychological trauma, and violent behaviors among children who watch television.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the extent to which children's television-viewing practices are associated with symptoms of psychological trauma and aggressive behaviors. The following three hypotheses were tested: (1) children who report watching greater amounts of television per day will report higher levels of trauma symptoms than children who report lesser amounts of television viewing; (2) children who report watching greater amounts of television per day will report higher levels of violent behaviors than children who report watching lesser amounts of television per day; and (3) children who report a preference for action and fighting programs will report higher levels of violent behaviors than children who report a preference for other types of television programs.


METHODS
The study used a survey design in which an anonymous self-report questionnaire was administered to students in grades 3 through 8 in 11 Ohio public schools during the 1995-1996 school year (N = 2,245).


RESULTS
All three hypotheses were supported.


CONCLUSIONS
Heavy television viewing by children may indicate the presence of problems such as depression, anxiety, and violent behaviors; such viewing should be screened for by psychiatrists and other mental health professionals working with children.
Singer
M I
MI
Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Slovak
K
K
Frierson
T
T
York
P
P
D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009820:Ohio; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D013690:Television; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*