Sexual content on TV is linked to teen pregnancy

Teenagers who watch a lot of television programs that contain sexual content are more than twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy, according to a study published today in the journal Pediatrics.

Researchers from RAND Corporation surveyed about 2,000 adolescents, ages 12 to 17, nationwide in 2001 about their television habits and sexual behavior. Researchers focused on 23 programs popular among teenagers that were widely available on broadcast and cable TV. The shows included dramas, comedies, reality programs and animated shows. Sexual content was defined as depictions of sex as well as dialogue or discussion about sex. The participants were surveyed again three years later. About 700 said they had engaged in sexual intercourse by the third survey.

The teens who watched the most sexual content on TV (the 90th percentile) were twice as likely to have become pregnant or caused a pregnancy compared to the teens who watched the least amount of sexual content on TV (the 10th percentile). Adolescents who lived in a two-parent household had a lower probability of pregnancy while African Americans and adolescents with behavior problems were more likely to be involved in a pregnancy.

Parents should consider limiting their teen's exposure to sexual content on TV, said the study's lead author, Anita Chandra, a behavioral scientist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. Television producers should consider more realistic depictions of the consequences of sex in their scripts, she says, noting that there is little content on the consequences of unprotected sex. About 1 million adolescents become pregnant each year in the United States.

"Adolescents receive a considerable amount of information about sex through television and that programming typically does not highlight the risks and responsibilities of sex," said Chandra, in a news release. "Our findings suggest that television may play a significant role in the high rates of teenage pregnancy in the United States."

-- Shari Roan

Photo credit: Mark Liddell/HBO

Comments

[Doug Ruggerie]

Are you kidding me? Do we need a study to understand this. COMMON SENSE PEOPLE. Just like kids should be raised in 2 parent homes. COMMON SENSE PEOPLE> nothing more to say.

[Mimi Burns]

So would it then go without saying that 100 years ago teens were having sex because they saw people kissing in public...???
How do you think we all were procreated???? My mother-in-law has a great quote for this
'Every generation thinks THEY invented oral sex' - or in this case- sex~
My largest concern is knowing that I taught sex ed and the stats are not correct when it comes to transmittable diseases, I would say it is closer to 1 out of 2 people has/or has had some form of a sexually transmitted disease. Never mind pregnancy~ the disease can kill these young people and their partners. Education!

[Jim]

Max, you're exactly right. I was about to post the same thing. It's sad that this news organization even publishes articles like this. I guess ratings are more important than informing people.

[Brynne]

This is a bogus study. The problem is not what is on TV. Just look at how sex on television is so much more prominent in Europe, yet their rates of teen pregnancy are far lower. Those societies are much more open about sex and birth control while we treat it as a taboo subject.

[Joel]

Considering some of the crticial responses, one must realize the LAT article is a SUMMARY of the of the article published in the peer reviewed Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Before spouting off on the lack of evidence of causality or offering a layman's hypothesis, please read the study.

From the abstract, "This is the first study to demonstrate a prospective link between exposure to sexual content on television and the experience of a pregnancy before the age of 20. Limiting adolescent exposure to the sexual content on television and balancing portrayals of sex in the media with information about possible negative consequences might reduce the risk of teen pregnancy. Parents may be able to mitigate the influence of this sexual content by viewing with their children and discussing these depictions of sex.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/122/5/1047

[alv]

if you stop the teens watching sex content on TV they can go for internet. You have to teach the kids the consequences of early pregnancy and about safe sex that may be of more help.

[jen]

It took them 3 months to determine this? I could have told you this in 5 minutes. It's just obvious! Turn the TV off for your kid's sake. It's NOT good programming at any age.

:: Get rid of TV in your house!! ::

[Hunter]

This article is total bunk. European countries all show way more nudity and sex on TV than America and have much lower rates of teen pregnancy. The UK has the second highest teen pregnancy rate and is also the most conservative European country when it comes to nudity on TV. It seems to me that our puritanical ideals of hiding sex (kids love to look for what parents sweep under the rug and in this country it's sex), abstinance only education, and the general Christian tendency to want to stick their heads up their butt rather than deal with reality and talk to their kids is the real reason for teen pregnancy rates in this country. I say put more sex on TV and take out the violence.

[Tricknowledge]

Correlation is not causation. Just an article written for the pageviews. Way to go Times!

[Denise Pilgrim]

It does seem like this would be common sense but, obviously from some of the comments, a lot of people don't have any.

[BillyJoeBob]

And all these pregnancies are due to visual content of T.V. and have not been influenced by media stories about "pregnancy pacts", absent parenting, peer pressure, or or the fact that kids are sponges that soak up sexual content in everything from Viagra commercials to the L.A. Times "Image" section. Give me a break.

Quit being such prudes and educate your children instead of sending them out to find out for themselves.

[Thorsten Rhode]

Other commentators have already listed a lot of good reasons to at least be suspicious of how conveniently this study links ONE cause to ONE effect. Highly problematic, IMHO.
Also, why dies no one ever stop and look at other countries -- the UK, Germany, France -- they see much of the same content on TV (I know, I spent the first 30 years of my life on a diet of 90210, Dallas, Dynasty & Ally MacBeal -- imported from the US). Yet, teenage pregnancies there are a fraction of what they are over here. Could it be that a more open and relaxed way of dealing with this (most natural) subject actually helps avoid some of the things this puritan country tries to 'protect' its offspring from? (end of rhetorical question)

[Latigoslim]

Another find example of the sensationally biased press printing somewhat misleading 'facts' to up readership and therefore ad revenues.
Disgusting.
And as for teens, if the parents won't take sex with thekids, let the school-based clinics educate them. No it is not up to government or shcools to teach the kids about sex, but if their folks won't school-based is better than 'one the street' or 'in th back seat' info.

[RN]

The broadcast media today reminds me of the tobacco companies of yesteryear. They would howl at any research showing a link between lung cancer and smoking. The media today is willfully negligent of its roll in encouraging promiscuity in our young people. The pervasiveness of the media makes it almost impossible for parents to intervene effectively in their children's cultural diet, which like fast food, is just bad for you.

Well, parents can do something. I did. We don't have TV. Life is not a bed of roses. There a pros and cons, but it is one thing I could do to put a fire wall between my kids and the incessant chant of the media to have sex and ignore the consequences.

[Will Gant]

This comes as no surprise to me. And since I am only 20, this fit into my age group. Modern society has shunned sex, and even mentioning sex. Its something that "We do not speak of" and yet everyone does it. Its a fact of nature. If we did not have sex, we would cease to exist.

There has been a big push to get condoms and other contraceptives in public schools, a place where kids are 8 hours a day on weekdays. Sex needs to be brought out of the bedroom and into the light!! If we talk about it, and teach teens about it, perhaps less of them will end up knocked up. Hiding it, and pretending abstinence works is NOT WORKING.

My Girlfriend and I have always been careful. We use condoms, she has birth control. Teens need to know that they SHOULD use this sort of stuff, and not be ashamed for being responsible. Parents need to talk to their kids about it, mine did, and it helped me understand what needed to be done.

And most of all, companies need to realize what their actions do to teens. The parents cannot stop their kids from seeing sexual content if the advertising firms use sex to promote EVERYTHING. Yes it works, but it has a negative impact on the youth of today, and we will be the leaders of tomorrow.

-Will

Help Save the SS United States, the Flagship of America, and the fastest Ocean Liner in the world!
http://www.oceanlinermuseum.co.uk/savetheclassiclinerscampaign.html

[Tim]

Of course this is painfully obvious. But unfortunately, we still need studies like this because there are plenty of people out there who argue against common sense. Some will try to use every reason under the sun to rationalize away this clear correlation/causation. Btw--I agree Joel, read the actual study before criticizing it.

Bottom-line people have premarital sex no matter what. But if we're in an environment where it's portrayed as commonplace and having little consequences, it's more likely to happen more often. Human nature 101.

[Scott Somerville]

Assuming the study can be replicated, you can't argue with the correlation between high sexual content on television and higher sexual activity among teens. It is fair to ask whether the TV causes the activity or is just an indicator of some other causal factor.

The most obvious other factor to look for would be parental control over the child. Most parents wouldn't want their children to fall into the 90th %ile of kids who watch sexualized television. Parents who can't prevent their children from watching raunchy shows probably can't prevent them from sexual activity. Thus, this study may say as much about the breakdown of family discipline as it does about the causal effects of soft-core porn.

Having said that...

Saying "no" to raunchy TV appears to be a meaningful indicator that a teen is more willing to say "no" to casual sex. Maybe our sex ed classes ought to bring in more discussion of the negative effects of pornography in general--especially the trivialization of sex and the objectification of women.

[Seth]

Europe has far more sex on their television than American yet they don't have the same teen pregnancy issues. Maybe if all school districts steer clear of abstinence only "education" and teach kids how to make intelligent choices rather than putting the scare tactic on them. Also, shouldn't their parents monitor how much tv they watch and talk with them about sex and whatnot?

[Laura]

Seriously, reading these comments is actually scary. Of course television influences children. It's not rocket science people. Why do you think Big Bird is so popular? It's because he teaches our kids so much. Why do you think Blues Clues is popular? Again, because our kids are so susceptible to the shows teachings. Unfortunately, the kids who are most susceptible to trash television are very young as well. You take a twelve-year-old, and put them in front of a TV where they are watching cool seventeen-year-olds... Newsflash... That's what they think cool seventeen-year-olds do. That's what they strive to become.

[L]

It's interesting that you are running this article the same day you are promoting this one...

"Porn stars are the new crossover artists"

Artists? Wow, more great news for parents!

My humble opinion? Too many parents working too many hours to pay for the granite countertops and Escalade, and too many unsupervised kids watching a TV fantasyland where promiscuous sex rarely results in unplanned pregnancies, STD's. HepC or HIV. If there is a pregnancy, the baby is super cute, dressed up in adorable clothes, placed in an expensive stroller and quickly handed over to a professional Nanny to care for it 12 plus hours a day so Mom can get on with her exciting life. Eventually the baby becomes a bore and is rarely mentioned, or phased out of the storyline.

[Steve]

A dolphin could conduct a better study than this crap.

[Billy Joe Bob]

So this has everything to do with T.V. program content and no reflection on influence such as peer pressure, "pregnancy pacts", the L.A. Times Image section, commercials promoting "when the moment arises" or just the lack of parental guidance? Give me a break. EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN. Be there for them when they have questions or even before, instead of being such a prude. This is a witch hunt that will end with the repeal of the 1st amendment. Next in line, all music that arouses the senses, public exhibition of opposite sex animals, and trips to Europe by anyone under the age of 18!

[Stanley]

Just because your kids watch stuff on TV that may, at times, promote sex, doesn't mean they are going to become sexually active and become pregnant. Some people are smart. They have their own morals and beliefs that they go by, and that's why they can watch that kind of television maturely. Some of you "posters" need to realize that it is not the media's fault, it's the stupidity of your teenager. Media has always been promoting sex, drugs, and alcohol, and the teen pregnancy rate is rising now? How much sense does that make...honestly. Instead of telling your kids to stay away from sex, tell them how to do it safely. No matter how much you preach abstinence, your kids are still going to be exposed to that content at school, at work, and in the media. Don't put blame on others for mistakes you or someone around you may make. Be proactive, inform your kids about sex.

WRAP IT UP BOYS

[Joe Mamma]

Yes, people do believe what the TV tells them. This is why Obama has so much support.

[ceallaig]

TV has been blamed for everything that is wrong with society from violence to drug use to bad language, so why should this be any different? Parents who allow the TV to be a babysitter and not TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT SEX are to blame for the increase, NOT television.