Study: Improve kids? behavior by switching to less violent TV shows

Teaching parents to switch channels from violent shows to educational TV can improve preschoolers? behavior, even without getting them to watch less, a study found.

The results were modest and faded over time, but may hold promise for finding ways to help young children avoid aggressive, violent behavior, the study authors and other doctors said.

?It?s not just about turning off the television. It?s about changing the channel. What children watch is as important as how much they watch,? said lead author Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a pediatrician and researcher at Seattle Children?s Research Institute.

The research was to be published online Monday by the journal Pediatrics.

The study involved 565 Seattle parents, who periodically filled out TV-watching diaries and questionnaires measuring their child?s behavior.