Four-year-old children – who receive emotional support and mental stimulation from their parents – are significantly less likely to become bullies in grade school, but the more television 4 year olds watch, the more likely they are to bully later. These findings come from a national study that involved 1,266 children and was recently reported in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a publication of the American Medical Association.

Each hour of television viewed per day at age 4 significantly increased the odds of a child being described as a bully by the child’s mother at ages 6 through 11. Approximately 13% of children were reported as bullies by their mothers. The Medical Society of the State of New York supports healthy lifestyles, for any age group, that include more physical activity and less sitting in front of the television.

Early emotional support and cognitive stimulation reduced the risk of developing bullying behavior. Parental emotional support was determined by questions about whether the child ate meals with both parents, how much parents talked to their child, and how parents disciplined their child. Cognitive stimulation was based on information about educational/recreational outings, reading, playing, and the parental role in teaching a child.

The researchers reported that these results "added bullying to the list of potential negative consequences of excessive television viewing along with obesity, inattention, and other types of aggression."

This information is provided by the Medical Society of the State of New York. For more health-related information and referrals to physicians in your community, contact your local county medical society.