Association of television viewing during childhood with poor educational achievement

Background: Excessive television viewing in childhood has been associated with adverse effects on health and behavior. A common concern is that watching too much television may also have a negative impact on education. However, no long-term studies have measured childhood viewing and educational achievement. Objective: To explore these associations in a birth cohort followed up to adulthood. Design: Prospective birth cohort study. Setting: Dunedin, New Zealand. Participants: Approximately 1000 unselected individuals born between April 1, 1972, and March 31, 1973. Ninety-six percent of the living cohort participated at 26 years of age. Main Outcome Measures: Educational achievement by 26 years of age. Results: The mean time spent watching television during childhood and adolescence was significantly associated with leaving school without qualifications and negatively associated with attaining a university degree. Risk ratios for each hour of television viewing per weeknight, adjusted for IQ and sex, were 1.43 (95% confidence interval [C1], 1.24-1.65) and 0.75 (95%, Cl, 0.67-0.85), respectively (both, P <.001). The findings were similar in then and women and persisted after further adjustment for socioeconomic status and early childhood behavioral problems. Television viewing during childhood (ages 5-11 cars) and adolescence (ages 13 and 15 years) had adverse associations with later educational achievement. However, adolescent viewing was a stronger predictor of leaving school without qualifications, whereas childhood viewing was a stronger predictor of nonattaintnent of a university degree. Conclusions: Television viewing in childhood and adolescence is associated with poor educational achievement by 26 years of age. Excessive television viewing in childhood tray have long-lasting adverse consequences for educational achievement and subsequent socioeconomic status and well-being.