INFLUENCE OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS AND VIDEOGAMES ON AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AMONG CHILDREN IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN BAGHDAD

Background: Violence and aggression are prevalent in most of videogames and TV cartoons. The effect of media violence on children aggressive behavior has been a focus of public concern.

Objective: To throw light on the association of violent media/video games with the attitude and behavior of primary school children.

Methods: This study was conducted in Baghdad city during the period from the first of February through December 2015. A multistage probability sampling was adopted to collect 1000 student from 55 primary school. Assessment of aggressive attitude, aggressive behaviors (physical and verbal) and anger was done according to standard scales measures.

Results: The number of boys who play electronic games was 615 (90.2% of all boys) and girls 250 (78.6 of all girls %), 27.7% of the sample reported playing electronic games since more than five years, 69.7% were playing daily. Of those playing; 53.1% spent five hours or less playing during all five schooling days, 36.0% spent 5-10 hours, and 10.9% spent more than 10 hours. A significant association was found between playing violent games and reporting aggressive attitudes. (p<0.0001). Moderate-high attitudes were seen more (13.2%) in those exposed to violent games almost all days of the week compared to 2.4% in those exposed for one day (p<0.0001). Among children exposed to violent media, 35.4% reported having physical aggression in comparison to those not exposed (4.9%) (p<0.0001). 11.1% of children who play violent games reported anger state versus 1.6% in those who do not play (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: Children play violent games showed more aggressive attitudes than those don’t play. Boys and girls that expose to both violent games and TV have higher rates of physical aggression, verbal aggression and anger than those expose to games or TV alone.