Beyond direct exposure to violence: effects of living in disordered and violent communities on psychological distress in young Mexican people

The association between community violence and mental health has been studied by reports of individual experiences, particularly in adolescents and youths, but little is known about the effect of living in disordered and violent communities. This study aims to determine the possible relation between living in disordered and violent community environments and psychological distress in Mexican adolescents and youths regardless of their individual experience of victimization and to assess the potential modifying effect of sex and age on this association. Data come from a cross-sectional survey with a representative sample of adolescents and youths living in Mexican municipalities, including 39,639 participants aged from 12 to 29 years. Disordered and violent community environments were assessed using reports from a secondary sample of adults who lived in the same communities as participants. Using exploratory factor analysis, three contextual variables related to disordered and violent community environment were created: social disorder, vandalism, and criminality. Multilevel linear regression models with random intercept were estimated. Adolescents and youths who lived in environments with higher social disorder had more psychological distress. Men in environments with greater vandalism had a higher level of psychological distress. Unexpectedly, women from communities with higher levels of crime had fewer symptoms. It is necessary to address the violence that exists in these communities, creating strategies that reduce not only crime, but also the social disorder and vandalism that could contribute to developing negative effects on mental health.

Examination of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD using the International Trauma Questionnaire – Child and Adolescent version (ITQ-CA) in a sample of Danish children and adolescents exposed to abuse

Background: International research has established that children and adolescents are at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD) as defined by the WHO ICD-11. There is a need for a Danish language version of the International Trauma Questionnaire – Child and Adolescent (ITQ-CA) to assess symptoms of PTSD and CPTSD.

Objective: To test the ICD-11 formulations of PTSD and DSO (Disturbances of Self-Organization) using the ITQ-CA version in a sample of children exposed to abuse. Additionally, to study the distribution of symptoms and probable prevalence of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD among the population of children exposed to violence or sexual abuse.

Method: Confirmatory factor analysis of competing models of the dimensionality of the ITQ-CA was tested among a sample of 119 children and adolescents that were referred to the Danish Children Centres on suspicion of physical or sexual abuse or both. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to study the distribution of symptoms and consequences of different operationalisations of functional impairment were explored.

Results: Findings supported a two-factor second-order model corresponding to the operationalisation of CPTSD in ICD-11 as the best representation of the data. Findings from the LCA suggested that symptoms were distributed in a pattern consistent with the ICD-11 proposal for CPTSD. CPTSD was more prevalent than PTSD regardless of the operationalisation of functional impairment.

Conclusion: ITQ-CA is a valid tool for identifying symptoms of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD among Danish children exposed to physical or sexual abuse. Further research is needed to study the relationship between ICD-11 C/PTSD symptomatology and anxiety and depression in this population.

The International Trauma Questionnaire – Child and Adolescent version (ITQ-CA) is a valid measure of symptoms of ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD among Danish children exposed to physical or sexual violence.

The structure of the ITQ-CA in the Danish sample reflects the ICD-11 diagnostic algorithm.

CPTSD is a more prevalent disorder among children recently exposed to violence than PTSD.

Moral injury and its mental health consequences among protesters: findings from Israel's civil protest against the government's judicial reform

Background: Government actions and participating in protracted-duration protests against it affect protesters' mental health, leading to high distress levels, such as posttraumatic and depressive symptoms. Aside from exposure to violence and other issues, protest participation can pose unique challenges to the protesters as they may be exposed to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs), such as the betrayal of leaders they once trusted. This study's primary objective was to examine the extent of psychological difficulties among civilians participating in long-duration protests in Israel. More specifically, the study aimed to understand the contribution of exposure to protest-related PMIEs to psychological difficulties such as posttraumatic and depressive symptoms.Method: Participants comprised 4036 Israelis who were actively involved in the unfolding civil protest movement against the government-led judicial overhaul between January 2023 and August 2023. The protesters completed validated self-report questionnaires that included measures of PMIE exposure, PTSD and depressive symptoms.Results: About half (44.3%) of the sample met the criteria for self-report diagnosis of major depression and 10.6% for PTSD. Most of the protesters indicated their exposure to at least one moral injury event, with 63.9% reporting exposure to PMIE-Betrayal. Protesters exposed to PMIEs reported significantly higher levels of both PTSD and depression than non-PMIE-exposed protesters. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that, beyond demographics and protest-related characteristics such as exposure to violence, PMIE dimensions significantly contributed to both PTSD and depression levels.Conclusions: The findings highlight the mental burden of protesters during the civil protests against the judicial overhaul in Israel. More central to the present research, the findings highlight the critical contribution of PMIEs exposure to this burden. Clinicians treating protesters coping with depression and PTSD following the civil actions should attend to their exposure to PMIEs, which may relate to the deleterious psychological effects among protesters.

Theoretical-methodological essay on gender identity information validity in epidemiological surveillance of violence

The inclusion of the "gender identity" field in the Brazilian violence surveillance system, although representing a step forward, still has limitations that may compromise epidemiological data validity. Existing response options for victims' identities do not adequately cover the diversity of this analysis category, resulting in classification biases. Additionally, the absence of options for cisgender identities reflects an approach that naturalizes these identities, while trans identities are considered deviant and subject to surveillance. To overcome these limitations, it is imperative to adopt a broader understanding of gender as a social and performative construction. This requires a reassessment of social structures and data collection instruments. In this context of discussion, this theoretical-methodological essay aims to reflect on gender identity measurement in the Reporting Diseases System interpersonal and self-inflicted violence surveillance system, taking as frameworks the theoretical conceptions about gender as a performative act and the foundations of validity in epidemiological investigations.

The relationship of general, physical, and psychological violence with depressive symptoms and cognition in elders (cross-sectional study)

OBJECTIVES

to analyze the relationship of general, physical, and psychological violence with depressive symptoms and cognition in the elderly.

METHODS

quantitative, cross-sectional study, carried out with 323 elders from the Brazilian northeast. Data collection used a sociodemographic instrument; the Conflict Tactics Scales Form R; the Geriatric Depression Scale; and the Mini-Mental State Examination. The analysis employed descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS

as violence increases, so do the depressive symptoms; the opposite was true when comparing violence with cognitive involvement. There is a correlation between physical and psychological violence and depressive symptoms; more depressive elders are from 1.96 to 3.00 times more likely to be the victims of psychological and physical violence, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

general, physical, and psychological violence is associated with depressive symptoms; those with less cognitive alterations are more vulnerable to abuse. Elders with depressive symptoms are more likely to suffer psychological and physically violence.

"I am going to break this logic of fear!": Activism and subversive care at the periphery of Fortaleza, Brazil

Based on ethnographic work conducted between 2015 and 2022 at the periphery of Fortaleza, in Northeast Brazil, this article analyzes the work of community activists as a form of subversive care. Women activists, many of whom work for the local public clinics, as social workers with local NGOs, or as schoolteachers, challenge dominant narratives presented in the media and political discourses about their neighborhood as being poor and therefore violent. By establishing relationships of mutual trust with gang members and humanizing them, women activists "challenge the logic of fear" and maintain presence in areas controlled by the gangs to direct the economically vulnerable toward existing public resources. Activists' understanding of urban violence is informed by participation in collective action and living together with gang members and their families. These experiences lead activists to see urban violence as the symptom of systemic inequalities that require systemic changes.

Risk of violence and frailty syndrome among older adults treated at a hospital service

OBJECTIVES

to assess the association between risk of violence and frailty syndrome among hospitalized older adults.

METHODS

quantitative, analytical and cross-sectional research, carried out with older adults in two university hospitals. Data collection was performed using the Brazil Old Age Schedule, Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test and Edmonton Frail Scale instruments. It was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.

RESULTS

risk of violence was higher among women (68.9%), over 70 years old (64.7%), with more than 3 years of study (68.9%), without relationship (67.1%), who do not work (65.1%) and with income above 1 minimum wage (65.2%). There is a significant association between risk of violence and frailty (72.3%; p<0.001) and a positive correlation between the instrument scores (r=0.350; p-value<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

risk of violence was associated with being female and frailty. The study is expected to encourage further discussions related to the theme and nursing practice.

Disrespect and abuse during childbirth and postpartum depression: a scoping review

This study aims to map, within the scientific literature, the relationship between disrespect and abuse during childbirth and the occurrence of postpartum depression. This is a scoping review designed in accordance with the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The search was performed in Embase, LILACS, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and in the CAPES Portal of Theses and Dissertations. We included studies that investigated the relationship between disrespect and abuse during childbirth with postpartum depression, considering cases diagnosed by physicians and by self-reports via validated scales, without restrictions regarding the year of publication and language. A total of 3,399 publications were identified and, after removing the duplicates and reading the title, abstracts, and the full-texts, seven articles were selected to integrate this review. Studies were published from 2017 onward, in four countries. Women who had experienced disrespect and abuse during childbirth were more likely to experience symptoms of postpartum depression. A standard terminology is necessary for disrespectful and abusive care during childbirth, as well as the elaboration of a measurement instrument that is universally accepted.

Profile and characteristics of violence against older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

to identify the sociodemographic profile and the characteristics of interpersonal violence against older adults during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in a capital city from the Brazilian Southeast region.

METHOD

a descriptive and exploratory research study with a cross-sectional design based on the notifications of suspected or confirmed cases of violence against older adults between March 2020 and March 2021. A univariate statistical analysis and Fisher's exact test (p<0.05) were performed.

RESULTS

a total of 2,681 notifications were recorded during the period. The main victims were individuals aged between 60 and 64 years old, female, white-skinned and with low schooling levels. The instances of violence were more frequent in the victims' homes. Physical and psychological violence predominated, through physical force/beatings and threats, respectively. Most of the aggressors were male, younger than the victims and generally their children or intimate partners. The aggressions were perpetrated more than once and were driven by generational conflicts. There was low referral to entities for the protection of older adults.

CONCLUSION

the sociodemographic profile found evidences vulnerable victims, subjected to many types of violence, and at a potential risk against their overall health.

Tangency and multiple factors of violence against lecturer: nuances of the experience in pedagogical practices in health education

OBJECTIVE

to identify factors that lead the teacher to experience violence in their pedagogical practice in health education.

METHOD

research with a qualitative approach, based on the Grounded Theory, conducted with 11 professors of the nursing course of a public university in the central region of Brazil in 2020 and 2021. Online semi-structured interviews were analyzed partially in the light of the Constructivist Grounded Theory.

RESULTS

factors that lead lecturer to experience violence are characterized by institutional culture, gender, professor's perception of violence, and the triggers that drive students to commit violence. Social status and inequalities lead to positions of domination and, consequently, create a fertile ground for violence.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

analyzing violence under Bourdieu's theory, it is clear that student violence towards lecturer and the reports contained in this study deserve pedagogical reflection. However, it is necessary to include these discussions as a background in teaching environments.

The 'Oscar curse' or the price of women's development

This article aims to reflect on the unconscious dynamics that sustain the shocking increase in feminicide in the world. It is observed that psychological and physical violence by the intimate partner has numerous facets, especially when the woman gains more or has more professional success than her partner. This violence can take a subtle form as rejection and betrayal in order to hurt the woman and destroy her self-esteem and success. Based on numerous studies and bibliography it is demonstrated that the main cause of violence by the intimate partner is the fear of the power of the feminine that has been present throughout history. Despite the evolution of women, historical violence reverberates in the 21st century as an intergenerational trauma causing great suffering in families and disturbances in interpersonal relationships.

A developmental origins perspective on the emergence of violent behavior in males with prenatal substance exposure

Children with prenatal substance exposure are at increased risk for externalizing behavior problems and violence. However, the contribution of early life experiences for placing these individuals at risk is not well understood. Utilizing a sample of 1,388 children with prenatal substance exposure from the Maternal Lifestyle Study, we attempt to shed light on these contributing factors by examining the impact of infant temperament, maternal sensitivity, and early life stress on the expression of violent behavior at ages 12 through 14 years. Males may be more at risk for increases in violent behavior in early adolescence through a number of early life experiences, such as variability in responses to maternal flexibility and engagement related to individual differences in temperament, as well as exposure to early adversity. Comparing two prevailing developmental theoretical frameworks, deficit models and differential susceptibility, we aim to understand the developmental origins of violent behavior in males by identifying children who may be most susceptible to early caregiving experiences.

[Chronic diseases in the population affected by the armed conflict in Colombia, 2015]

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify the most frequent non-mental chronic illnesses in the Colombian population affected by the armed conflict.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional study using data from the National Mental Health Survey 2015. The study population was stratified by sex and age and other general data were extracted, including education and poverty level, measured by the Multidimensional Poverty Index. Data analysis was based on information from people who reported having been victims of the Colombian armed conflict at some time in their lives; the frequency of presentation of non-mental chronic illnesses was reported as a measure of indirect relative risk.

RESULTS

Information on 10,764 people over 18 years of age was described, this being a representative sample at the national level. It was found that 10.4% of subjects affected by the armed conflict have a high educational level (technical school or university), and that 43.6% are living in conditions of poverty or vulnerability. The non-mental chronic illnesses identified were: hypertension 20.4% (CI95%: 15.7-26.1); diabetes 6.7% (CI95%: 4.4-10.3); rheumatologic diseases 10.4% (CI95%: 7.1-14.9); gastrointestinal diseases 19.1% (CI95%: 14.5-24.7); and chronic pain 6.9% (CI95%: 4.2-11).

CONCLUSIONS

The population affected by the armed conflict is apparently at greater risk of presenting non-mental chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes, which shows the vulnerability of these communities.

Prevalence of bullying by gender and education in a city with high violence and migration in Mexico

OBJECTIVE

To understand the prevalence of bullying, by gender and educational level, in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, a city with high rates of violence and migration.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional, observational study conducted in 2012 - 2014 using a questionnaire known as the Bullying-Mexican. A probabilistic multistage cluster-sampling method obtained a study sample of 2 347 students (10 - 27 years of age) from the 400 000 enrolled in grade 5 - university level at the 611 public schools in Ciudad Juárez. Bullying prevalence and frequency (never, rarely, sometimes, often, every day) were analyzed with descriptive statistics. The statistical differences between males and females was assessed using a chi-square test; associations between frequency and academic level were determined by correspondence analysis and the Spearman Rho correlation. A multinomial logistic regression was performed to analyze whether gender and academic level acted independently in the frequency of bullying.

RESULTS

Bullying prevalence was reported by 38% of females and 47% of males: 'only victim' represented 8.7%; 'only aggressor,' 13.2%; and 'victim and aggressor,' 21%. At higher levels of education, bullying prevalence declined; however, at the university, prevalence increased in the last semesters. Mockery and social exclusion were the two most dominant types of bullying, followed by beating, threats, and punishment.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of bullying in Ciudad Juárez public schools is among the highest compared to other random studies and surveys. Bullying diminishes with age and educational level.

Mentalizing Family Violence Part 2: Techniques and Interventions

This is the second of two companion papers that provide an overview of mentalization-based concepts and techniques when working with the seeming "mindlessness" of intra-family violence. The focus of this paper is on general mentalization-oriented approaches and specific interventions that aim to (1) disrupt the non-mentalizing cycles that can generate intra-family violence and (2) encourage the emergence of patterns of family interactions that provide the foundation for non-violent alternatives. Various playful exercises and activities are described, including the taking of "mental state snapshots" and "selfies" in sessions and staging inverted role-plays, as well as using theatrical masks and creating body-mind maps and scans. These can make "chronic" relationship issues come alive in session and permit "here and now" experiences that generate a safe context for mentalizing to take place. At the core of the work is the continuous focus on integrating experience and reflection. Without acute awareness of the thoughts and feelings occurring in the sessions, mere reflection is not likely to enable change. By increasing mentalizing in the family system, family members' trusting attitudes grow, both within and outside the family.

Mentalizing Family Violence Part 1: Conceptual Framework

This is the first of two companion papers describing concepts and techniques of a mentalization-based approach to understanding and managing family violence. We review evidence that attachment difficulties, sudden high levels of arousal, and poor affect control contribute to a loss of mentalizing capacity, which, in turn, undermines social learning and can favor the transgenerational transmission of violent interaction patterns. It is suggested that physically violent acts are only possible if mentalizing is temporarily inhibited or decoupled. However, being mentalized in the context of attachment relationships in the family generates epistemic trust within the family unit and reduces the likelihood of family violence. The implications of this framework for therapeutic work with families are discussed.

Prevalence and factors associated with violence and abuse of older adults in Mexico's 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey

BACKGROUND

Factors associated with violence and the abuse of older adults are understudied and its prevalence in Mexico has not been reported. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and factors associated with violence and abuse of older adults in Mexico.

METHODS

We used Mexico's 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey, which included a sample of 8,894 individuals who are 60 years or older and who self-reported a negative health event related to robbery, aggression or violence in the previous 12 months. We used chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test to analyze the variables related to violence. Adjusted estimates were completed with multiple logistic regression models for complex surveys.

RESULTS

The prevalence of violence was 1.7 % for both men and women. In 95 % of the cases, the aggression was from an unknown party. Verbal aggressions were the most prevalent (60 %). Among men, physical aggression was more common. Violence frequently occurred in the home (37.6 %); however, men were primarily assaulted in public places (42.4 %), in comparison to women (30.7 %). There were also differences in the risk factors for violence. Among men, risk was associated with younger age (60-64 years), higher education (secondary school or above) and higher socioeconomic status. Among women, risk was associated with depression, not being the head of the family, and region of the country.

CONCLUSIONS

Violence against older adults presents differently for men and women, which means it is necessary to increase knowledge about the dynamics of the social determinants of violence, particularly in regards to the role of education among men. The relatively low prevalence found in this study may reflect the difficulty and fear of discussing the topic of violence. This may occur because of cultural factors, as well as by the perception of helplessness perpetuated by the scarce access to social programs that ensure protection and problem solving with regards to the complex social determinants of individual and family violence that this population group endures.

Helping Parents Cope with Suicide Threats: An Approach Based on Nonviolent Resistance

Parent training in nonviolent resistance was adapted to deal with situations of suicide threat by children, adolescents, and young adults. The approach aims at reducing the risk potential and the mutual distress surrounding the threat-interaction. Parent training in nonviolent resistance has been shown to help parents move from helplessness to presence, from isolation to connectedness, from submission to resistance, from escalation to self-control, and from mutual distancing and hostility to care and support. Those emphases can be crucial for the diminution of suicide risk. Parents show good ability to implement the approach and report gains on various areas over and beyond the reduction in suicide threat. A particular advantage is that the method can be used also in cases where the young person threatening suicide is not willing to cooperate.

Diseño de un programa basado en la promoción del desarrollo positivo en la infancia para la prevención temprana de la violencia en Colombia

Aunque algunos informes identifiquen a Colombia como ejemplo de un país que ha logrado revertir los niveles crecientes de violencia, estos siguen siendo altos. Por este motivo se han convocado acciones de promoción de la convivencia y prevención de la violencia, a las cuales responde el programa que presentamos en este artículo. Este programa está basado en la perspectiva contextual-evolutiva del modelo ecológico y en la educación para la salud, tendiente al cuidado de sí en los padres o cuidadores, y al ejercicio de una crianza, centrada en los derechos de los niños, el desarrollo infantil y la promoción de la salud mental, con el fin de promover el desarrollo saludable y prevenir comportamientos agresivos en los niños; éste es presentado como una alternativa de orientación psicosocial para el fortalecimiento de estrategias y programas dirigidos a la primera infancia.

[Dating violence and mental health in Mexican college students]

Antecedentes:

En las últimas dos décadas, ha aumentado el interés por la promoción de la salud en el sector educativo superior, a través del programa “Universidades Saludables” promovido por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Es importante reconocer las necesidades relacionadas con la salud de los integrantes de la comunidad universitaria, así como reflexionar sobre las acciones dirigidas a cubrirlas. Uno de los problemas prioritarios respecto a la salud mental de los jóvenes universitarios es la violencia en el noviazgo. Considerando lo anterior, los objetivos del presente estudio fueron: evaluar la violencia en el noviazgo, la sintomatología depresiva y la autoestima en estudiantes universitarios; estudiar la relación entre la violencia, la depresión y la autoestima; y promover la implementación de programas preventivos entre la comunidad universitaria.

Métodos:

Se realizó un estudio transversal y descriptivo con las respuestas de 729 estudiantes universitarios, aplicando el “Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationship Inventory,” el Inventario de Depresión de Beck y el Inventario de Coopersmith para evaluar la autoestima.

Resultados:

Los resultados mostraron una elevada prevalencia de violencia en los jóvenes universitarios, particularmente verbal-emocional (75%). Las agresiones fueron de carácter bidireccional, tanto hombres como mujeres cometieron y sufrieron la violencia. La conducta violenta se asoció con la baja autoestima en las mujeres y con síntomas depresivos en ambos sexos.

Conclusiones:

Desde el enfoque del programa “Universidades Saludables,” es importante que las instituciones de educación superior sean promotoras de la salud mediante la creación y difusión del conocimiento, la formación de recursos humanos y la promoción de la organización comunitaria. Los resultados del estudio indican la necesidad de desarrollar programas educativos orientados a la prevención de la violencia, al manejo de emociones y a la resolución de conflictos.

[Dimensions of Empathy in Ex-Combatants of the Colombian Armed Conflict Using a Standardized Scale]

INTRODUCTION

Empathy is one of the main concepts of in social neurosciences. It is defined as a trait with multiple dimensions allowing individuals to place themselves in the emotional states of others. Colombia has an irregular, internal and long-lasting armed conflict which has been increasing its cruelty levels.

OBJECTIVES

to assess the empathy dimensions of 285 ex-combatants from the internal Colombian conflict, using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index(IRI) in Spanish. METHODOLOGY AND SUBJECTS: a sample of 285 male ex-combatants, 241 (84, 6%) males: 85,3% paramilitaries, and 14,7% guerillas. The 28 Item IRI questionnaires were administered. 3 exploratory factor analyses (EFA) were performed. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were developed using structural equation procedures.

RESULTS

The first EFA obtained 9 factors (KMO=0,74, variance 54,7% and internal consistency (IC): 0,22 - 0,63). The second EFA produced 20 items with burdens above 0,4 and showed a 6-factor structure (KMO=0,70, variance 50,3%, IC: 0,37 - 0,63). The third EFA forced the 4 original IRI dimensions (KMO=0,74, variance 33,77, IC: 0,44 - 0,77. CFAs showed goodness of adjustment indexes adequate for the three models. The 4-factor model obtained the lowest value, while the 6-factor model obtained the highest. The 4- factor model showed the best IC.

CONCLUSION

The Spanish IRI administered to ex-combatants of the Colombian conflict has possible structures of 4, 6 and 9 factors. The best adjustment was for the 6-fctor. The 4-factor model exhibited the best IC.

[Not Available]

Salud Colectiva convocó a un diálogo entre Philippe Bourgois y Cristian Alarcón. El antropólogo y el cronista ofrecen aquí una excursión al backstage de dos libros innovadores, polémicos y desafiantes. En busca de respeto, de Bourgois, recientemente publicado en español, construye un relato sobre la trama cotidiana de los vendedores de crack en Harlem, Nueva York. Si me querés, quereme transa, de Alarcón, ingresa en el universo de los traficantes de cocaína y "pasta base" en Buenos Aires. En ambos, vemos la forma en que tanto la investigación periodística como la etnográfica devienen un proceso de aprendizaje, totalmente despojado de la sober-bia del descubridor en territorios extraños. Alarcón y Bourgois tuvieron que transformarse ellos mismos, aprender un habitus que les era completamente ajeno, para poder construir relaciones afectivas con traficantes ("transas" y puertorriqueños vendedores de crack). Esos afectos aparecen posicionados como condición de posibilidad del tipo de investigación cualitativa que ellos defienden.

[Television and children: is television responsible for all the evils attributed to it?]

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to analyze children's television viewing habits and their parents attitudes towards such viewing.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional descriptive study.

SETTING

Primary care.

PARTICIPANTS

A survey was undertaken with 317 three to fourteen year old children and their parents as part of the primary care check-up program for healthy children.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Time devoted to television viewing was 106 +/- 50 minutes on weekdays and 141 +/- 80 minutes weekends. Despite this, 49.2% of parents thought their children saw little television, especially those with children under six (57.6%). Children of parents in highly qualified positions and of parents in the uppermost socioeconomic group saw television the least, on non-working days (70 +/- 61 minutes and 144 +/- 78 minutes respectively, p < or = 0.0001). Some 71.9% of children watched television alone and 34% did so at meal-times. Altogether 48.3% of parents were unaware as to what their children watched and some 61.5% encouraged television viewing, above all those having children of under six (76%). The youngest children preferred to watch cartoons which were generally of a violent nature. For those aged from 11 to 14, 19.5% chose as their favorite programs those having a high level of violence.

CONCLUSION

Television habits are an educational problem for parents, an important shake-up in their attitudes being called for, in which pediatricians should be involved in developing health programs aimed at proper use of the television.