Table 1 Concise overview of TV programs' effects on children's attention studies

Anderson et al. [40]

n = 72

4-year-olds

Pace

40 min

1. Sesame Street (fast-paced; edited version)

2. Sesame Street (slow-paced; edited version)

3. Read a storybook by a parent (control)

––-

• Replacement Puzzle Test

• 10- minute Free-play observations

No immediate effect of pacing

17/21

Geist and Gibson [37]

n = 62

4- to 6-year-olds

Pace

30 min

1. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers (fast-paced)

2. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (slow-paced)

3. Free-play (control)

––-

• Free-play: Number of task changes observations

• Free-play: Time on-task observations

Negative effect of fast-paced TV programs

15/21

Cooper et al. [12]

n = 37

4- to 7-year-olds

Pace

3.5 min

1. Narration of Winnie at the Seaside book (fast-paced; edited version)

2. Narration of Winnie at the Seaside book (slow-paced; edited version)

––-

• Attention Networks Task

Positive effect of fast-paced TV programs

Age x pacing interaction has a significant effect

13/21

Kostyrka-Allchorne et al. [38]

n = 70

2- to 4.5-year-olds

Pace

4 min

1. Narration of Winnie at the Seaside book (fast-paced; edited version)

2. Narration of Winnie at the Seaside book (slow-paced; edited version)

Free-play: number of toy changes observations

• Free-play: number of toy changes observations

Negative effect of fast-paced TV programs on attention

16/21

Kostyrka-Allchorne et al. [39]

n = 187

3.5- to 5-year-olds

Pace and Fantasy

5–6 min

1. Narration of Room on the Broom book (fast and fantastical; edited version)

2. Narration of Room on the Broom book (slow and fantastical; edited version)

3. narration of Charlie and Lola book (fast and non-fantastical; edited version)

4. narration of Charlie and Lola book (slow and non-fantastical; edited version)

––-

• Continuous performance test (CPT)

No immediate effect of pace or fantasy on attention

Fantasy x pacing interaction has a significant effect on attention: positive effect of fast-paced

18/21