• In the USA an average of 20-25 violent acts are shown in children’s television programs each hour (Browne, 2005).
  
  
• A significant association was found between the amount of time spent watching television during adolescence, with its exposure to violence, and the likelihood of subsequent antisocial behavior, such as threatening aggression, assault or physical fights resulting in injury, and robbery (Browne, 2005).
  
  
• 61% of children’s television programs contain violence and only 4% have an anti-violence theme. In programs with violence only 16% showed long-term consequences, 45% of the offenders went unpunished, 71% of offenders showed no remorse, 42% of the violence was associated with humor, and lethal violence was shown in 54% of programs (Browne, 2005).
  
  
• Exposure to media violence is positively related to subsequent aggressive behavior, aggressive ideas, arousal, and anger, and a negative effect on helping behavior (Bushman, 2006).
  
  
• Children, ages 8 to 18, spend more time (44.5 hours per week- 61/2 hours daily) in front of computer, television, and game screens than any other activity in their lives except sleeping (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005).
  
  
• Media violence affects children's behavior states the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, and American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Congressional Public Health Summit, 2000).
  
  
• Children are affected at any age, but young children are most vulnerable to the effects of media violence (Bushman, 2001).
  
  
  • Young children
    
    
  • are more easily impressionable.
    
    
  • have a harder time distinguishing between fantasy and reality.
    
    
  • cannot easily discern motives for violence.
    
    
  • learn by observing and imitating.
    
    
• Violence (homicide, suicide, and trauma) is the leading cause of death for children, adolescents and young adults, more prevalent than disease, cancer or congenital disorders (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006).
  
  
• Young Men randomly assigned to play Grand Theft Auto III exhibited greater increases in diastolic blood pressure from a baseline rest period to game play, greater negative affect, more permissive attitudes toward using alcohol and marijuana, and more uncooperative behavior (Brady, 2006).
  
  
• Children’s programs contain similar amounts of indirect and verbal aggression as general adult programs, but neither types of aggression are considered when creating ratings for children’s programs (Linder, 2009).
  
  
• 67% of children’s programs that contained physical aggression were not correctly rated, with one program containing 53 acts of aggression in 1 hour (Linder, 2009).
  
  
• Television programming can be controlled on most TV’s, whether it is using V-chips, cable, or satellite controls. For more information regarding how to set up controls or to learn more about ratings see the National Institute on Media and the Family’s Parent Guides (Parent Ratings and MediaWise Parent Controls Guide).

Six prominent medical groups (American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, American Psychological Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Psychiatric Association) warn of these effects of media violence on children:

• Children will increase anti-social and aggressive behavior.
  
  
• Children may become less sensitive to violence and those who suffer from violence.
  
  
• Children may view the world as violent and mean, becoming more fearful of being a victim of violence.
  
  
• Children will desire to see more violence in entertainment and real life.
  
  
• Children will view violence as an acceptable way to settle conflicts. (Congressional Public Health Summit, 2000)

• What are the consequences for aggressive behavior? Is it rewarded or punished? Aggressive behavior on screen that lacks consequences, portrayed as justified, or is rewarded will have a greater effect on children.
  
  
• When the violence is committed by an attractive or charismatic hero, with whom the child identifies, the effect of that violence will be greater.
  
  
• When the child's attention is focused on the violence on the screen, causing the child to be engaged or aroused, the impact is greater.
  
  
• If the child sees the violence in the show as being realistic, reflecting real life, the impact will be greater.

• American Academy of Pediatrics. Some things you should know about media violence and media literacy. Accessed at: www.aap.org/advocacy/childhealthmonth/media.htm (last visited 11/06)


• Brady, S.S., & Matthews, K.A. (2006). Effects of media violence on health-related outcomes among young men. Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 160, Retrieved June 15, 2009, from http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/160/4/341?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=media+violence&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT.


• Browne, K.D, & Hamilton-Giachritsis, C (2005). The influence of violent media on children and adolescents: A public-health approach. The Lancet, 365, 702-10.


• Bushman, B. J., & Huesmann, L. R. (2001). Effects of televised violence on aggression. In D. G. Singer & J. L. Singer (Eds.), Handbook of children and the media (Ch. 11, pp. 223-254). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  
  
• Bushman, B.J., & Huesmann, L.R. (2006). Short-term and Long-term Effects of Violent Media on Aggression in Children and Adults. Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 160, Retrieved June 15, 2009, from http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/160/4/348?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=media+violence&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT#POA50133T1.


• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2006). Injury Center. Retrieved June 16, 2009, from Leading Causes of Death by Age Group Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/


• Congressional Public Health Summit (2000, July 26). Joint statement on the impact of entertainment violence on children. Accessed at: www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jstmtevc.htm (last visited 06/16/09)


• Kaiser Family Foundation (2005, March). Generation M: Media in the lives of eight to eighteen year olds. Available online at: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia030905pkg.cfm (last visited 06/16/09).

Last revised: June 2009