Violence on television and imitative behavior: impact on parenting practices

In the past 30 years, four federal government commissions have reported on the relationship between television violence and aggressive behavior. The latest report concluded categorically that there is a causal relationship between television violence and aggressive behavior. Two infants were seen at an emergency room as a direct consequence of their socially isolated single mothers seeing a particular made-for-television movie. In one case, the infant died as a possible result of a parent imitating an act of child abuse; in the other case, early medical intervention precluded possible tragedy. These cases illustrate another way in which children may be victimized by violence on television; namely, by parents imitating inappropriate parental behavior. The origins of imitative behavior are discussed with specific reference to the impact on vulnerable parents. The concept of media-influenced parenting behavior is presented and implications for physicians are discussed.