Video games aren’t as bad as TV

A study of 11,014 children in Britain has generated some interesting results: television exposure was found to predict a small increase in behavioural problems, while videos games did not.

The researchers note that further study is required to establish causes for this.

The University of Glasgow study used surveys of mothers in the UK Millennium Cohort Study to track their children’s behaviour over time. Children surveyed were as young as 5.

Conduct problems, emotional symptoms, peer relationship problems, hyperactivity/inattention and prosocial behaviour were reported by mothers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Change in adjustment from age 5 years to 7 years was regressed on screen exposures; adjusting for family characteristics and functioning, and child characteristics.

Leading into the study the researchers noted some characteristics of this field of research:

High screen time has been linked with behavioural and emotional problems in children, although findings have not all been consistent.
Most longitudinal studies have focused on television and almost all have been conducted in North America.
Few studies have examined TV and electronic games separately to see whether they have similar effects.

This study adds the following findings to the current body of research:

Watching TV for 3 hours or more daily at 5 years predicted increasing conduct problems between the ages of 5 years and 7 years.
No effects of TV at 5 years were found on hyperactivity/inattention, emotional symptoms, peer relationship problems or prosocial behaviour.
Playing electronic games at 5 years was not associated with increased risk of problems.

The researchers concluded:

TV but not electronic games predicted a small increase in conduct problems. Screen time did not predict other aspects of psychosocial adjustment. Further work is required to establish causal mechanisms.