Media Uses and Effects in Stages of Family Life: A Family Development Perspective John J. Davies
Douglas A. Gentile
Family Development Theory
MarriageChildbearing
Families Preschool Children
School Children
TeensLaunching
Young Adults
Middle-aged Parents
Aging Family Members
Family Development Theory
Preschoolers
2-6 years
School-age Children
7-12 years
Teens
13-17 years
Images: Tom Clare / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Measures
1. Media Use
2. Alternative Activities
3. Monitoring
4. Consistency
5. Media Knowledge
6. Media Effects
Higher scores = ‘healthier’ media habits
Higher scores = less influenced by media
• Social modeling – celebrities
• Social modeling – media characters
• Persuasion – product purchase
• Fright effects
Samples
National Random
• N = 527
• Mail & telephone
• 55% response rate
• 2.18 children
• 78% married
• 76% White/Caucasian
• All income & education levels
National Convenience
• N = 1257
• MediaWise training
• 2.17 children
• 88% married
• 84% White/Caucasian
• Income & education skewed high
H1: Decreasing Trend in Alternate Activities to Media
5456586062646668707274
Preschoolers School Age Teens
Alternate Activities to Media in Family Life Stages
Random SampleF = 67.48, p <.001
Convenience Sample F = 100.30, p < .001
H2: Decreasing Trend in Healthy Media Use
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Preschoolers School Age Teens
Media Use in Family Life Stages
Random SampleF = 63.45, p <.001
Convenience Sample F = 70.06, p < .001
H3: Decreasing Trend in Parental Monitoring
6264666870727476788082
Preschoolers School Age Teens
Parental Monitoring of Media Use in Family Life Stages
Random SampleF = 17.83, p <.001
Convenience Sample F = 15.73, p < .001
H4: Decreasing Trend in Consistency
6466687072747678808284
Preschoolers School Age Teens
Consistency of Media Use Rules in Family Life Stages
Random SampleF = 19.50, p <.001
Convenience Sample F = 10.24, p < .001
H5: Increasing Trend in Knowledge of Media Effects
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Preschoolers School Age Teens
Knowledge of Media Effects in Family Life Stages
Random SampleF = 4.80, p <.05
Convenience Sample F = .25, p = .78
H6: Increasing Trend in Resistance to Media Effects
48
50
52
54
56
58
60
62
Preschoolers School Age Teens
Resistance to Media Effects in Family Life Stages
Random SampleF = 26.20, p <.001
Convenience Sample F = 19.78, p < .001
H7: Interaction between Family Stage and Presence of SiblingsIndex National Sample Convenience Sample
Alternative Activities Interaction Effect• Family Stage x Siblings
Main Effects• Family Type• Presence of Siblings
Consistency Interaction Effect• Family Stage x Siblings
Interaction Effect• Family Stage x Siblings
Knowledge ns Main Effect• Presence of Siblings
Monitoring Main Effects• Family Type• Presence of Siblings
Interaction Effect• Family Stage x Siblings
Media Use Main Effects• Family Type• Presence of Siblings
Main Effects• Family Type• Presence of Siblings
Media Effects Main Effects• Family Type• Presence of Siblings
Main Effects• Family Type• Presence of Siblings
H7: Interaction between Family Stage and Presence of Siblings
55
60
65
70
75
80
2-6 Years 2-12 Years 2-17 Years
Alt
ern
ate
Act
ivit
ies
Ind
ex
Figure 1. Mean Scores of Alternate Activities Index as a Function of Family Type and Presence of Siblings
Only Child (National Sample)
More Than One Child (National Sample)
Only Child (Convenience Sample)
More Than One Child (Convenience Sample)
H7: Interaction between Family Stage and Presence of Siblings
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
2-6 Years 2-12 Years 2-17 Years
Co
nsi
ste
ncy
Ind
ex
Figure 1. Mean Scores of Consistency Index as a Function of Family Type and Presence of Siblings
Only Child (National Sample)
More Than One Child (National Sample)
Only Child (Convenience Sample)
More Than One Child (Convenience Sample)
H7: Interaction between Family Stage and Presence of Siblings
55
60
65
70
75
80
2-6 Years 2-12 Years 2-17 Years
Par
en
tal M
on
ito
rin
g In
dex
Figure 3. Mean Scores of Parental Monitoring Index as a Function of Family Type and Presence of Siblings
Only Child (National Sample)
More Than One Child (National Sample)
Only Child (Convenience Sample)
More Than One Child (Convenience Sample)
H7: Interaction between Family Stage and Presence of Siblings
55
60
65
70
75
80
2-6 Years 2-12 Years 2-17 Years
Me
dia
Use
Ind
ex
Figure 4. Mean Scores of Media Use Index as a Function of Family Type and Presence of Siblings
Only Child (National Sample)
More Than One Child (National Sample)
Only Child (Convenience Sample)
More Than One Child (Convenience Sample)
H7: Interaction between Family Stage and Presence of Siblings
50
52
54
56
58
60
62
64
2-6 Years 2-12 Years 2-17 Years
Me
dia
Eff
ect
s In
dex
Figure 5. Mean Scores of Media Effects Index as a Function of Family Type and Presence of Siblings
Only Child (National Sample)
More Than One Child (National Sample)
Only Child (Convenience Sample)
More Than One Child (Convenience Sample)
RQ1: Will siblings affect relation between media use and school performance?
Variable
Only Child
β
Multi-child Family:
Youngestβ
Multi-child Family: Oldest
β
Step 1 Parent Education .19 .31*** .27***Race .10 .09 .01Income .19 .08 .00Child’s Gender .26** .16** .11Marital Status .15 .05 .01Incremental R2 .19** .16*** .09***
Step 2 Parent Education .19 .29*** .26***Race .10 .08 .00Income .18 .07 -.02Child’s Gender .26** .15** .10Marital Status .15 .05 .02TV Viewing -.03 -.06 -.08Incremental R2 .00 .00 .00
Total R2 .19** .16*** .09***
Table 1. Predictors of School Performance in Multiple and Only-Child Families (National Sample).
Note. *p < .05, **p. < 01, ***p < .001.
RQ1: Will siblings affect relation between media use and school performance?
Variable
Only Child
β
Multi-child Family:
Youngestβ
Multi-child Family: Oldest
β
Step 1 Parent Education .16* .10* .13**Race .03 .03 .02Income .13 .19*** .11*Child’s Gender .07 .10** .14***Marital Status -.15 .10** .03Incremental R2 .09** .07*** .05***
Step 2 Parent Education .18* .08* .11**Race .03 .03 .03Income .14 .17*** .09*Child’s Gender .06 .10** .13***Marital Status -.12 .05 .02TV Viewing .10 -.10** -.08*Incremental R2 .01 .01** .01*
Total R2 .10** .08*** .06***
Table 2. Predictors of School Performance in Multiple and Only-Child Families (Convenience Sample).
Note. *p < .05, **p. < 01, ***p < .001.
Implications
• Crucial transition: School-age children teens
• Multiple sibling families
• Healthier media habits
• Greater vulnerability to media effects
• Resolving the contradiction
• “What is the effect of media exposure?”
• “How do events and changes in family structures alter media effects experienced by families?”