View: Full Record   Author: Vandewater, Elizabeth A.; Bickham, David S.; Lee, June H. » Save Citation » Email Citation » View CMCH Synopsis Year: 2006 Article Title: Time well spent? Relating television use to children's free-time activities Journal: Pediatrics Volume: 117 Edition: 2 Issue: 117 Pages: e181-191 ISBN/ISSN: 1120-7507 Source of Funding: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; National Science Foundation Study Design: Correlational Study Descriptive/Historical Publication Type: Journal Article Age Group: Childhood (birth-12 yrs), Infancy (2-23 Months), Neonatal (birth-1 mo), Preschool Age (2-5 yrs), School Age (6-12 yrs) URL: Abstract: Objective: To determine the relationship between the time children spend watching television and the time they spend doing other activities. Design: Caretakers completed diaries of time spent on one school day and one weekend day. Subjects and Setting: 2902 children grouped into 4 age categories: 0-2 years (N=350), 3-5 years (N=372), 6-8 years (N=380) and 9-12 years (N=610). Intervention: N/A Outcome Measure(s): Age, SES, gender, parent and child schedules and time spent doing the following: watching television, with parents or siblings, reading or being read to, doing homework, engaging in creative play and engaging in active play. Results: For every hour spent watching television without a parent on the weekday, effect sizes showed 18% less time spent with parents doing other activities for 0 to 2-year-olds, 20% less time for 3 to 5-year-olds, 12% decrease for 6 to 8-year-olds and 22% decrease for 9 to 12-year-olds. During the weekend, decreases were 12%, 12%, 10% and 17% respectively. For every hour spent watching television without a sibling on the weekday, effect sizes showed 31% less time spent with a sibling doing other activities for 0 to 2-year-olds, 40% less time for 3 to 5-year-olds, 31% less time for 6 to 8-year-olds and 29% less time for 9 to 12-year-olds . On the weekend the decreases were 10%, 18%, 28% and 30% respectively. For every hour spent watching television on a weekday, 6 to 8-year-olds spent 14% less time doing homework, 9-12 year-olds spent 18% less time. For every hour spent watching television on the weekday, 0 to 2-year olds spent 9% (11% on the weekend) less time engaging in creative play, 3 to 5-year olds 9% less time (11% on weekend), 6 to 8-year-olds 8% less time and 9 to 12-year olds 9% less time. Conclusion: For all age groups, time spent watching television without parents or siblings was related to less time engaging in other activities with parents or siblings, less time spent doing homework, and less time engaging in creative play. There was no relationship found between time spent watching television and time spent either reading or playing actively. The group as a whole spent only 10-15 minutes a day reading. These relationships do not mean that children would actually chose to spend time doing homework, playing creatively or spending quality time with parents and siblings if they were not watching television. © Center on Media and Child Health Keywords: Age Differences Children Creativity Families and Family Life Homework Media Diet Play Behavior Siblings Sports Television Time Displacement

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