Citation

Al-Ali NM, Yaghy HS, Shattnawi KK, Al-Shdayfat NM. Issues Ment. Health Nurs. 2018; 39(7): 592-599.

Affiliation

Al al-Bayt University, Princess Salma Faculty of Nursing , Mafraq , Jordan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/01612840.2017.1422201

PMID

29446662

Abstract

The current study aimed to assess Jordanian parents' knowledge and beliefs about the effects of violent media on children's aggressive behavior. A sample of 262 parents of children aged 6-11 years completed a Media Quotient questionnaire about children's media habits, media effects, and children's aggressive behavior. Parents reported that their children spend an average of 4.83 h (SD = 2.12) watching TV, 3.20 h (SD = 2.29) playing video games, 1.07 h (SD = 0.88) listening to music, and only 0.52 min (SD = 0.67) reading for pleasure per day. Parents have a moderate level of knowledge about the media effect (M = 15.49, SD = 3.439). Children of parents who have adequate knowledge about the media effect, spend less time watching TV (r = -.355, p <.001), playing video games (r = -.265, p <.001), and listening to music (r = -.347, p <.001). Ninety-two percent (n = 241) of parents were concerned about the amount of sexual and of violent content their children see in movies or on TV. Children who spend more time playing video games (r = -.201, p =.004) show aggressive relational behavior. This study suggests that increasing parents' knowledge of media of evidence-based programs may have a protective effect on children's behavior.

Language: en