First study shows bad news for families and background TV

William Atkins
Tuesday, 15 September 2009 17:39

Science - Health

A University of Massachusetts study has shown what happens to the quality and quantity of interactions between parents and young children when the television is on in the background.



The result of the study is published in the September-October 2009 issue of the journal Child Development.

The title of the study is “The Impact of Background Television on Parent-Child Interaction” (pdf file; Vol. 80, Issue 5).

The hypothesis of the study is: does background TV affect the interaction of parents and children?

The U.S. researchers, from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), studied fifty-one children who were one-year, two-year, or three-year old.

Each child was observed by the researchers at a university child study center, which resembled a family room, while in the presence of one parent.

In part of the study the children interacted with the parent for one hour. The parents were directed to turn on the TV to an adult-type show.

Then, for one-half hour the TV was on in the background and for the other half hour the TV was on.

The researchers observed the interaction of the parent and child during these times, including how involved the parents were during the child’s playtime.

Page two provides the conclusion of the study.