Special interests (SIs) are part of the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Though they can have both positive and negative effects on functioning and long-term outcomes, research on SIs is limited. This pilot study used a newly developed parent-report measure, the "Special Interest Survey," to characterize SIs in…

American children spend more time watching television than studying or communicating with their parents. Such a pervasive source of stimulation should be a matter of research significance for psychologists and educators. (Author/MJL)

Young children's own perceptions of their preference for television viewing relative to other developmentally appropriate activities were studied through means of a questionnaire. The respondents rated television viewing as a less attractive activity than playing outside, playing with play dough, and building with sand, but few preferred story…

Disputes previous research findings that the amount of time spent viewing television declines significantly during the adolescent years. (FL)

Television can be a source of knowledge and information or it can cause negative behavior. Parents can help their children understand the difference between fantasy and reality on television and help make television viewing a positive event. (DF)

To determine if children watch adult programs on weekday prime-time television because more suitable age-specific programming is unavailable, a study was conducted to assess children's viewing preferences using a forced-choice instrument. After a pilot study established the validity of the instrument, four popular children's programs were…

Presents both pros and cons about the effectiveness of this educational TV program. Indicates that no very substantial contribution can be made toward narrowing the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children. (CC)

Identifies least desirable situations for children's television viewing. Details guidelines for family viewing, including previewing programs and viewing together. Discusses ways to use the viewing experience to create interests and dialog, such as discussing and evaluating programs. Describes alternatives to television viewing, including…

While the influence of television on reading has only been minimally researched, it is obvious that the more television watching children do, the less time is spent on reading. Over 10 years, the cumulative effects of television viewing can be devastating. Watching television is a passive, receptive activity. Children also watch MTV, rent movies,…

Research on children and media has generally focused on the negative impact of media on developing minds. However, a theoretical framework is proposed for thinking about the role of television for American children from a developmental perspective. Instead of focusing on television's effects, television viewing can be examined as is any other…

Authors describe the results of their research project dealing with what children like about commercial television and the implications for instructional television. (HB)

The major objective of this study is to discuss the effects of television on children and adolescents. Our children are spending many hours in front of the television. This study examined the viewing habits and personal opinions of Turkish Cypriot children. The participants were 250 children and adolescents whose ages varied between 4-17. This…

A study was conducted to determine (1) how often television was used as a surrogate parent, (2) the reasons leading to its use as such, and (3) the correlates of using television as a babysitter. Telephone interviews were conducted with 226 mothers who had children between the ages of 2 and 12. The respondents answered questions that addressed…

Methods are suggested to measure the program appeal and audience attention of Children's Television Workshop productions. Among these are distractor techniques, one which permits subjects to discriminate between two simultaneously broadcast programs by selecting the audio track they most prefer and one used to rank order several programs.…

Authors looked at ways in which children's interest in and knowledge of 'media culture' provided a basis for classroom learning. (Editor/RK)