Abstract:  

The current study aimed to assess Jordanian parents? knowledge and beliefs about the effects of violent media on children?s aggressive behavior. A sample of 262 parents of children aged 6?11 years completed a MediaQuotient questionnaire about children?smedia habits,media effects, and children?s aggressive behavior. Parents reported that their children spend an average of 4.83 h (SD=2.12) watching TV, 3.20 h (SD=2.29) playing video games, 1.07 h (SD = 0.88) listening to music, and only 0.52 min (SD = 0.67) reading for pleasure per day. Parents have a moderate level of knowledge about the media effect (M = 15.49, SD = 3.439). Children of parents who have adequate knowledge about the media effect, spend less time watching TV (r =?.355, p < .001), playing video games (r=?.265, p < .001), and listening to music (r=?.347, p < .001). Ninety-two percent (n=241) of parents were concerned about the amount of sexual and of violent content their children see in movies or on TV. Children who spend more time playing video games (r=?.201, p = .004) show aggressive relational behavior. This study suggests that increasing parents?knowledge of media of evidence-based programs may have a protective effect on children?s behavior.