title: Social support may buffer the effect of intrafamilial stressors on preschool children's television viewing time in low-income families.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excessive television (TV) viewing in preschool children has been linked to negative outcomes during childhood, including childhood obesity. In a sample of low-income families, this study examined associations between intrafamilial factors and preschool children's TV-viewing time and the moderating effect of social support from nonfamily members on this association.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2010, 129 mothers/female guardians of 2- to 5-year-old children enrolled at five Head Start centers in Rensselaer County, New York, completed a self-report survey. The survey assessed child TV-viewing time (including TV, DVDs, and videos) and intrafamilial risk factors, including maternal perceived stress, depressive symptoms, TV viewing, leisure-time physical activity (inactivity), and family functioning. Social support from nonfamily members (nonfamily social support) was also measured and examined as an effect modifier.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children watched TV an average of 160 minutes per day. Moderate depressive symptoms (Personal Health Questionnaire depression scale scores ≥10), higher perceived stress, poorer family functioning, and higher maternal TV-viewing were significantly and independently associated with greater minutes of child TV viewing, controlling for covariates. In all instances, nonfamily social support moderated these associations, such that negative experiences within the family environment were linked with higher child TV-viewing time under conditions of low nonfamily social support, but not high nonfamily support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social support from nonfamily members may buffer potentially negative effects of intrafamilial factors on preschool children's TV-viewing time.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Policy, Management and Behavior, The University at Albany School of Public Health , SUNY, Rensselaer, NY.
authors.forename: Kaigang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Janine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jurkowski
authors.forename: Kirsten K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Davison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009518:New York; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013690:Television; D013997:Time Factors