Helping parents reduce children's television viewing

Parents and educators around the country are concerned about the amount of time children watch television. Part of this concern stems from the fact that a considerable amount of violence is regularly portrayed on television. In addition, those youngsters who watch an excessive amount of television have little time for developing other interests and hobbies. Using simple electronic principles and behavior modification, a research team at DePaul University has developed several procedures to wean children off television. This research involved dispensing tokens to children after they had engaged in a period of prosocial behavior. Children's television viewing decreased after being provided these interventions, and follow-up data suggested that changes were maintained over time. The interventions and devices reviewed in this article are practical ways of empowering parents to have more influence on their children's television viewing.