Preschool Boys Who Watch Violent TV More Likely To Become Aggressive, Mischievous Teens

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds.

The Batman pajamas and superhero obsession might seem like an adorable phase, but that action-packed media consumption could have lasting consequences. A new international study following children for over a decade found that boys who watched violent TV as preschoolers showed measurably higher rates of aggression and delinquency as teenagers. Meanwhile, girls exposed to the same content showed no similar effects, suggesting boys’ developing brains might be uniquely vulnerable to media violence.

The research, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, tracked nearly 2,000 children from preschool through adolescence and found that boys exposed to violent TV content at ages 3 and 4 showed increased physical aggression, proactive aggression, and antisocial behavior by age 15. The same pattern wasn’t observed in girls, highlighting a significant gender difference in how media violence affects developing minds.

The researchers examined data from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, which followed children born in 1997-1998. Parents reported how frequently their children watched violent television at ages 3.5 and 4.5 years, while the participants themselves reported on their aggressive and antisocial behaviors at age 15.

These weren’t minor behavioral issues either. The antisocial behaviors included interactions with police, court appearances, and even placements in youth centers. Many parents assume their children’s viewing habits while young won’t cause lasting harm, but this research challenges that assumption. The effects persisted for more than a decade, even after researchers controlled for other factors like family dysfunction, parental antisocial behavior, and maternal depression.

Boys who watched violent TV as preschoolers showed a 6.5% increase in proactive aggression (threatening or hitting others to get what they want), a 7.4% increase in physical aggression (fighting, using weapons), and a 7.6% increase in antisocial behavior (court appearances, interactions with police) compared to boys with less exposure.

Source: StudyFinds
https://studyfinds.org/preschool-boys-violent-tv-aggressive-teens/