Citation

Singer JL, Singer DG, Desmond R, Hirsch B, Nicol A. J. Appl. Dev. Psychol. 1988; 9(3): 329-347.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

A sample of 66 kindergartners and first graders was studied over a two-year period in order to determine the role of family communication patterns and parent mediation in relation to television comprehension, general world knowledge, reading recognition, discrimination of reality from fantasy, fear of victimization, motor restlessness, and aggression. Results indicated that a family communication pattern of discussion and explanation in Year 1 is positively related to several measures of children's television comprehension and the ability to discriminate fantasy from reality in Year 2. When combined with power assertive methods of discipline, the discussion-explanation style is positively related to reading recognition, while discussion-explanation is negatively related to the child's hours of viewing, fear of victimization, and aggression in Year 2.