Running Head: PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM MEDIA

Protecting Children from Media

Kimisha Sharpe
Argosy University

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Abstract:
Greg, a 10-year old boy is exhibit social, mental, and psychological behavior that
is resulting from his active playing of violent videogames and which is adversely impacting his
ability to be productive and normal child, consuming all of his free time, including taking away
from his sleep. His parents are greatly concerned as Gregs behavior has turned to becoming
more aggressive and violent, and are seeking an intervention. This consultation will evaluate the
describe the issue of exposure to videogame violence in todays society as related to Gregs
situation, addressing Gregs risk and protective factors, and providing Gregs parents a number
of recommendations, including transitioning Greg to more socially productive activities.
Introduction
The purpose of this behavioral consultation is to describe the issue of exposure to
videogame violence in todays society as related to Gregs situation, including exploring such
issues such as age, gender, and racial diversity. The consultation will also evaluate the possible
dangers of exposure to media violence, including among other issues, addressing the Gregs
cognitive and socioemotional development, risk and protective factors, including predisposition
to violence (e.g., are all children who play violent videogames likely to become more aggressive)
and the various protective factors might mitigate the possible outcomes for Greg., including
discussing the possible outcomes if Gregs behavior continues unchecked. Also included in this
consultation will be a discussion of the types of intervention strategies you would expect his
parents to find at a community level, such as in community centers, schools, and social service
agencies, to assist children like Greg who are at risk due to ongoing exposure to media violence.

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Last, such consultation will include a behavioral plan and recommendations to Gregs parents,
including providing a comprehensive comparison of the dangers of exposure to videogame
violence with other forms of violence, evaluating the similarities and differences between
videogame violence exposure and the other type of violence, and addressing the social costs of
videogame violence to the family and the community and society at large.
I.

Issue of Exposure to Videogame Violence

Within the past decade, especially with the onset of more frequent school shootings, there
has been a significant amount of scholarly study evaluating the issue of exposure to videogame
violence, specifically emphasizing that violent video game exposure increases aggressive
thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal, aggressive behaviors, and decreases helpful
behaviors (Anderson, 2007). The impact of playing violent videogames has and does have a
significant impact depending on the childs age, gender and race, especially where according to
many studies, the impact of violent video games for children between the ages of 6-11, is shown
to have just as significant, if not greater impact on children compared to low IQ, abusive
parenting, antisocial behavior, or even being from a broken home (Anderson, 2007). Other
research has shown that such violent video grams tend to have a more significant long-term
adverse psychological impact on males rather than females, largely because it is the males that
are more likely to play such violent video games (Anderson, 2007). Additionally, when it
comes to race, lower socio-economic status, poverty, and race are all additional factors, where
violent video games tend to adversely impact children in these classes, specifically among the
African-American and Hispanic populations, where crime and poverty may be more prevalent
compared to other racial populations (Anderson, 2007).
II.

Gregs Exposure

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With respect to Greg, there are a number of dangers of exposure to media violence,
including among other issues, addressing the Gregs cognitive and socio-emotional development,
risk and protective factors, including predisposition to violence (e.g., are all children who play
violent videogames likely to become more aggressive). One of the most significant factors is
Gregs young age, only 10, where at such a young age, his mind, psychological well-being, and
overall development is still maturing, being shaped, and prone to being impacted by his
environment (Dowd, 2005). Another significant factor for Greg is that he is a male, and where
the research tends to show that such violent videogames tend to have a more adverse impact on
young male children (Anderson, 2007). One of the most significant risk factor for Greg, is his
exposure to violent videogames has and continues to become more pronounced, frequent,
including to the point where it is actually taking away time from more productive activities
including his school work, chores, and other essentially health and well-being activities such as
sleep (Anderson, 2007). Research has shown that children are at risk of becoming obsessed,
addicted, and otherwise fully consumed with violent video game play, even to the point that they
may subject themselves to seeking to play such games at every moment and neglecting other
important activities in this regard (Dowd, 2005). One of the most significant risk factors for
Greg, is that he is already exhibiting outward and explicit violent and aggressive behavior to
other people, which in his situation, and given the amount of time dedicated to playing violence
videogames, is illustrating that there is likely a very possible causal relationship between his
violent videogame playing and his outward behavior, and evidence possibly a predisposition
toward violence (Dowd, 2005). This seems to be a very high risk factor in Gregs particular
situation.

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Despite the many risk factors pertaining to Gregs situation, there are a number of
protective factors that may seek to mitigate such exposure. One of the most important things is
parental intervention, where Gregs parents have recognized there is an issue, and are seeking
intervention (Dowd, 2005). Without such acknowledgement by Gregs parents, resolving this
issue and any future issues would be very challenging, and in Gregs situations, he has parents
that are willing to address the issue, make changes, and work in a very proactive manner to
resolving the situation in a way that benefits Greg mentally, socially, and physically (Anderson,
2007).
III.

Strategies and Recommendations

In terms of a discussion of the types of intervention strategies one would expect his
parents to find at a community level, such as in community centers, schools, and social service
agencies, to assist children like Greg who are at risk due to ongoing exposure to media violence,
one of the most significant resources would be contacting a school counselor, including letting
Gregs counselor know of the situation and to be included in assisting. Community youth groups
are also helpful, including those that seek to provide an active lifestyle for children outside of
watching television or playing videogames, and in particular those that have some sort of social
and behavioral guidance, to assist Greg find productive and alternative activities to assist in his
transition from playing violent video games to sports, recreation and learning based activities
(Dowd, 2005). To the extent that Gregs parents need more support, it is recommended that they
network with parent advocacy groups, possibly those that are involved on the subject of video
game violence, bullying, and school violence related issues.
The literature remains quite clear, that videogame violence, if left unchecked, without
parental monitoring and moderation, can greatly impact young children and can manifest itself

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later in life when a child is an adult (Anderson, 2007). In fact, some video games depict violence
against authority figures such as police officer, domestic abuse, and violence in the form of
criminality (Anderson, 2007). Such other forms of violence as observed, witnessed, and
participated in by way of a video-game, can lend itself to a heightened risk and danger of those
same types of violence later on in life.
Gregs comprehensive behavioral plan and recommendations to Gregs parents, should
include active steps to reduce and eventually eliminate all violent video games from Gregs life,
steps to transition Greg to more productive, helpful, and beneficial activities, allowing Greg the
opportunity to socialize in a positive way, and obtain behavior and other social skills that do not
lend itself to aggressive behavioral toward others.

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Works Cited:
Anderson, Craig (2007). The effect of video game violence on physiological
desensitization to real-life violence, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43 (2007), 489496.

Dowd, Nancy E. (12/2005). Handbook of Children, Culture, and Violence, 1st Edition.
[VitalSource Bookshelf Online]. Retrieve from
https://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/#/books/9781412973366/