The Impact of Media Violence on Primary School Children Behaviors

Background: Young population including children, represents more than a quarter of the
world’s population during the stage of human development, and risk-taking and violent
behaviors are prevailing among this group of people. Violence prevalence in television,
videogames and movies has been considered among the factors mentioned as causing
aggressive behavior among young people. Aim: Assess the impact of media violence on
behavior of primary school children. Setting: Two primary schools in Shebin El Kom at
menoufya governorate (Meet Mousa A males and El Shahid Ahmed Goda), Egypt. Sample:
A multi stage random sample was used. The total number of students was 320 in third and
fourth grade in these two schools. Tools: First tool, An interviewing questionnaire sheet.
Second tool, Anxiety scale for children. Third tool, aggression scale for children. Fourth tool,
Scale for violent media. Results: (52.4%) of the studied children were in age group of 8 to
less than 10 years, (53.8%) of them were female, (95.2%) of them had working father and
(49.3%) of them had working mother, (58.2%) of them were had one TV at home and
(79.8%) of them were had computer or play station. There was a statistical significant
relation between violent media (preferable player/artist), (preferable computer/video games),
(preferable cinema/computer films) and degree of aggression in the studied children. There
was statistical significant relation between violent media (Preferable computer/video games)
and degree of anxiety in the studied children. Conclusion: less than one quarter of children
had verbal and physical aggression. Less than one quarter of children had total aggression.
More than half of the studied children reported severe anxiety followed by moderate anxiety
level. Also, there was statistical significant relation between aggressive degree and socio-
demographic characteristics (sex, school grade, Amount per diem and No TV at home) of the
studied children. Moreover, there was statistical significant relation between anxiety degree
and socio-demographic characteristics (sex, mother work and No. TV at home) of the studied
children. Recommendations: Further research studies are needed for ongoing assessment of
children including large sample for generalization of results.