As more children get diagnosed with attention-deficit disorders, parents and professionals are quick to point the blame to increased time spent with media. It’s the violent video games, endless hours of TV viewing and handheld gaming systems that have led to attention and school problems, right?
Elsevier’s latestJournal of Psychiatric Research examines the nature of risk factors for attention problems and poor school performance, and as it turns out, TV and video games may get a pass. A predominantly Hispanic population of 603 children (ages 10-14) and their parents/guardians responded to a series of multiple behavioural measures. School performance was measured by grade point measure (GPA). Media use was also captured, including favourite television shows and video games, and time spent engaging with either medium.
Results revealed neither total television or video game viewing time, nor exposure to violent shows or games, correlated with negative outcomes related to attention problems or GPA. In fact, the current study suggests that attention problems are predicted most accurately by intrinsic factors such as anxiety, antisocial traits and male gender, as well as by delinquent peers and negative associations with adults. For GPA, it appears that wealthier families are better able to provide resources that lead to improved school performance.
“There can be little doubt that extreme amounts of media consumption can cause academic problems to the extent that they may eliminate time for studying or other necessary activities by simple action of the time consumed,” writes author Christopher Ferguson. “However, little evidence suggests that media consumption can actually bring on psychopathology in the form of attention problems.”
For more information visit: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2010.11.010
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire