Relationship of Television Watching and Video/Computer Gaming on Social/Personal Outcomes

Purpose

Watching television and video gaming negatively influences the physical and mental health of children. These negative effects include violent or aggressive behavior, obesity, poor body image, decreased school performance, and physical inactivity [American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), 2001; Gordon-Larsen, et al, 2005]. Positive effects have also been associated with media exposure such as information gain, personal and social identity formation or reinforcement, and social affiliation or avoidance (e.g., Kubey & Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Zillmann, 1982). Despite these potential positive effects, the AAP has recommended that children under 2 not watch television and for other children, entertainment/media time be limited to 1-2 hours of quality programming per day. Yet, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation media study, nearly 90% of children ages 4-6 years old for an average of about 2:03 hours per day. Despite the increase in media use, little is known about the differences between television watching and video gaming and the outcomes they have on salient social and personal outcomes. Therefore, this study analyzed the relationship between television viewing, video and computer gaming, and children's perceived physical abilities, peer and parent relations, and self-concept.

Methods

Cross-sectional data were collected from 288 elementary school-aged children (62% response rate) at three public elementary schools in a Midwest community during November 2007. Time spent watching television and playing video or computer games was measured using an adapted Self-Administered Physical Activity Checklist (Sallis, et al., 1996). Perceived physical abilities, peer relations, parent relations, and self-concept were measured using the Self-Description Questionnaire I (Marsh & Holmes, 1990).

Analysis/Results

Simple linear regression models were performed to assess the relationship between the television viewing and physical abilities, peer relations, parent relations, and self-concept. A similar analysis was conducted using video and computer games use as a response variable. A statistically significant (p<.05) negative relationship was found between television viewing and children's perceived self-concept (p=. 005), but not among other outcomes. Additionally, playing video and computer games was positively related to perceived physical abilities (p=.002).

Conclusions

Overall, television watching and video gaming did not influence many analyzed outcome, but there was a negative relationship between television viewing and self-concept and a positive relationship between computer gaming and perceived physical abilities. While the former result was consistent with the literature, the latter was unanticipated. In addition to better understanding this relationship, future research may be done with different types of video gaming (e.g., online gaming or role-playing or sport oriented games).