Boys who watched violent content on screens during their preschool years showed a higher tendency towards antisocial and violent behavior later on, according to a recent study.
This new research, led by Linda Pagani, a Professor at the Université de Montreal’s School of Psychoeducation, highlights the long-term risks linked to early exposure to violent content in children and its correlation with antisocial behavior in their teenage years.
Pagani explained, “Previous studies indicated a direct link between imitating violence and receiving rewards for such behavior on aggressive actions in 4-year-olds. However, there has been little investigation into the long-term implications concerning antisocial behavior. We looked into these impacts during mid-adolescence.” She added that analyzing typically developing middle-class children was ideal, as they usually have less tendency to engage in aggressive or harmful behaviors.
Involving nearly 2,000 children
The study involved 963 girls and 982 boys born between the springs of 1997 and 1998, who participated in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. Parents reported how often their child was exposed to violent television content when they were 3.5 and 4.5 years old. Later, when the children turned 15, they provided self-reports on various antisocial behaviors.
The research categorized screen violence as “any content featuring physical aggression, verbal aggression, and relational aggression, intending to harm others.” According to the study, children are often drawn to exciting, fast-paced violent content, which frequently includes attractive characters like superheroes who act violently and receive rewards, thereby increasing the likelihood of exposure.
The researchers analyzed if watching violent television at ages 3.5 and 4.5 predicted antisocial behavior eleven years later.
Pagani noted, “We factored in alternative variables related to the child and family that could have influenced our findings, aiming to closely examine the relationship between these behaviors.”
Boys are particularly affected
At age 15, the results showed that only boys who watched violent television in preschool displayed an increase in antisocial behaviors. Early exposure to violent content was linked to actions like hitting or physically assaulting someone to gain something, theft, with or without justification.
The risks also encompassed threats, verbal insults, and involvement in gang fights. Additionally, the use of weapons was identified as a potential consequence of early exposure to violent television. No similar effects were noted for girls, which was expected due to their generally lower exposure to violent content.
Pagani concluded, “Our findings strongly suggest that early childhood exposure to violent media can lead to serious and enduring consequences, especially for boys. This highlights an urgent need for public health initiatives aimed at educating parents and communities about these risks, empowering them to make informed choices regarding their children’s media consumption.”
Pagani and her team, which includes students from the Université de Montréal and researchers from the U.S. and Italy, affirmed, “Parents and communities can significantly mitigate future issues by actively preventing young children from being exposed to violent media content.”
