Television viewing habits of emotionally disturbed, learning disabled, and mentally retarded children

Two studies were conducted to compare the television viewing habits of handicapped and nonhandicapped children. In Study 1, one group (N = 38) of emotionally disturbed (ED), learning disabled (LD), and educable mentally retarded (EMR) children and two groups of matched controls comprised of nonhandicapped peers were interviewed about their television viewing habits. In Study 2, 42 ED boys and 42 non-ED boys completed a television program diary. The studies found that handicapped children watch more television overall and more aggression-laden programs (i.e., crime dramas and cartoons) than nonhandicapped children. The potential impact of viewing television aggression on the behavior of handicapped children is discussed.