Influence of Frequent Cartoon Consumption on Children's Interactive Communication Skills and Behavioural Outcomes

The study examined the influence of frequent cartoon consumption on children’s interactive communication skills and behavioural outcomes. Anchored in Social Learning Theory and Media Effects Theory, the study adopts a mixed-method approach involving a sample of 480 parents and guardians of pupils aged 4-8 from varied backgrounds and 24 teachers for the interview section. The findings revealed that frequent cartoon consumption may have negative effects on the development of active listening skills on children ( = 2.24, SD = 0.65) and a moderate negative relationship (r = -0.43) between frequent cartoon consumption and the development of turn-taking skills in interactive communication. The study concludes that while cartoons can serve as entertainment, their overuse may impair the development of skills that children need to interact effectively in live interactions.