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Regular TV viewing lowers self-esteem in children
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Regularly watching TV programs can significantly harm your child's self-esteem, which in turn often leads to very unfortunate consequences, according to scientists from the University of Michigan (USA). Researchers have found a very strong correlation between the number of hours spent in front of the TV screen and the risk of developing an inferiority complex in children under 14 years of age.
"The child's brain is simply open to the perception of the surrounding world. At this period of life, we receive from 60% to 80% of knowledge about the environment around us, and it is very important in what way our children communicate with the existing society. When watching television programs and the absence of other means of communication, your child, one way or another, begins to associate himself with the characters of many TV shows, series and full-length films. Considering the fact that the world behind the TV screen and the real world differ significantly, the child begins to feel inferior. Against this background, chronic depression and an inferiority complex may develop," says Kristen Harrison, professor of communication studies at the University of Michigan (USA).
It is quite curious that the risk of developing prolonged depression and an inferiority complex depends not only on the amount of time spent in front of the TV screen, but also on such a factor as skin color. Children of African descent have a 2-3 times higher risk of getting such disorders than children with white skin. Researchers associate this circumstance with two facts. The first fact is that in a study that lasted for six months and was conducted with the participation of 400 children with different skin colors, it was found that children with black skin spend on average 10 hours more in front of the TV screen than children with white skin. The second fact is that children with white skin have greater opportunities to realize themselves in later life and get some things that they would have liked to have as a child.
To a lesser extent, the risk of developing various types of mental and neurological disorders is also observed in girls. As scientists state, watching television as such cannot harm a child. In some situations, this viewing is simply incredibly useful. However, a young organism must develop and pass in a balanced manner, and electronic communication with the outside world must be compiled with human, quite ordinary communication, both with their parents and with peers.
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