Maternal Characteristics Associated with Television Viewing Habits of Low-Income Preschool Children

Few studies have examined maternal characteristics associated with heavy or inappropriate television viewing on the part of their children. We investigated the relationship between children's television viewing habits and maternal depressive symptoms and parenting beliefs. The participants were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of child and family studies 2007-06, Vol.16 (3), p.415-425
Main Authors: Conners, Nicola A, Tripathi, Shanti P, Clubb, Richard, Bradley, Robert H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitudes
Behavior
Beliefs
Child poverty
Child Rearing
Children
Childrens Television
Correlation
Depression
Depression (Psychology)
Disadvantaged Youth
Early Intervention
Eligibility
Habits
Head Start project
Inappropriateness
Low income
Low income families
Low Income Groups
Maternal characteristics
Maternal depression
Mental depression
Motherhood
Mothers
Parent Attitudes
Parent Influence
Parent-child relations
Parenting
Parents
Parents & parenting
Pediatrics
Preschool Children
Programming (Broadcast)
Questionnaires
Rural Areas
Surveys
Symptoms (Individual Disorders)
Television
Television Viewing
Young Children
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Summary:Few studies have examined maternal characteristics associated with heavy or inappropriate television viewing on the part of their children. We investigated the relationship between children's television viewing habits and maternal depressive symptoms and parenting beliefs. The participants were 175 low income children (mean age = 62.1 months) and their mothers who participated in a larger national study of Early Head Start eligible children. Our sample included families from two predominantly rural sites. Mothers completed a survey about the amount of time their children spend watching television during the week and on the weekend, and the types of programs they watch, as well as questionnaires related to maternal depression and parenting attitudes. According to mothers' report, most of the young children in our sample exceeded the total viewing time recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (maximum 2 h per day), and the majority watched at least some programming designed for adult audiences. Maternal depressive symptoms and beliefs about parenting were associated with heavier viewing on the part of the child, as well as with viewing of age-inappropriate content.
ISSN:1062-1024
1573-2843
DOI:10.1007/s10826-006-9095-0