Infants' and toddlers' television viewing and language outcomes

View:

Full Record

Author:

Linebarger, Deborah L.; Walker, Dale

» Save Citation
» Email Citation
» View CMCH Synopsis

Year:

2005

Article Title:

Infants' and toddlers' television viewing and language outcomes

Journal:

American Behavioral Scientist

Volume:

Edition:

Issue:

Pages:

624-645

ISBN/ISSN:

0002-7642

Source of Funding:

Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education grant H324D980066

Study Design:

Correlational Study

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Age Group:

Childhood (birth-12 yrs), Infancy (2-23 Months), Preschool Age (2-5 yrs)

URL:

Abstract:

Objective: To determine the effects of television viewing on the development of vocabulary and language skills among toddlers, over the 2-year period from age 6 months to 30 months.

Design: Longitudinal process-product study design, evaluating relationship between television viewing and language outcomes. Every 3 months, parents completed a television viewing log for their children, reporting hrs/wk spent watching, names of programs, and time spent per program. Children underwent home observation, developmental tests evaluating cognitive and vocabulary development, and play-based assessments.

Subjects and Setting: 51 toddlers (23 boys 28 girls) and their parents, recruited from 17 child care centers in Kansas City, MO metro area and Lawrence, KS. Sample was middle- to upper middle-class, 90% Euro-American, and well educated.

Intervention(s): N/A

Outcome Measure(s): Vocabulary development, assessed via MacArthur Communication Development Inventory. Expressive language communication, assessed via Early Childhood Indicator.

Results: Relationships between television viewing and language development were stronger when evaluated for individual programs, compared with total viewing. Arthur and Clifford viewers had 8.60 more words and 1.10 more expressive language utterances at 30 months than non-viewers. Blues Clues and Dora the Explorer viewers had 13.30 more words and 1.78 more expressive language utterances at 30 months than non-viewers. Barney and Friends and Teletubbies viewers had 11.68 and 10.18 fewer words at 30 months than non-viewers, respectively. Sesame Street viewers had 1.49 fewer expressive language utterances than non-viewers.

Conclusion: Exposure to television programming from age 6 months to 30 months was significantly related to vocabulary and expressive language development, with the majority of children's programming positively impacting development. � Center on Media and Child Health

Keywords:

Child Development
Children
Children's Television
Cognitive Development
Communications
Demographics
Educational Television
Infants and Toddlers
Language Acquisition and Development
Learning
Media Diet
Motion Pictures
Parent Child Relations
Parents and Parenting
Psychology
Sesame Street
Television
Television Programs
Verbal Ability
Verbal Behavior