From Deseret News archives:
Sexy TV shows linked to teen pregnancies
"Sex and the City," anyone? That was one of the shows used in the research.
The new study is the first to link those viewing habits with teen pregnancy, said lead author Anita Chandra, a Rand Corp. behavioral scientist. Teens who watched the raciest shows were twice as likely to become pregnant over the next three years as those who watched few such programs.
Previous research by some of the same scientists had already found that watching lots of sex on TV can influence teens to have sex at earlier ages.
Shows that highlight only the positive aspects of sexual behavior without the risks can lead teens to have unprotected sex "before they're ready to make responsible and informed decisions," Chandra said.
The study was released today in the November issue of Pediatrics. It involved 2,003 12- to 17-year-old girls and boys nationwide questioned by telephone about their TV viewing habits in 2001. Teens were re-interviewed twice, the last time in 2004, and asked about pregnancy.
Among girls, 58 became pregnant during the follow-up, and among boys, 33 said they had gotten a girl pregnant.
Pregnancies were twice as common among those who said they watched such shows regularly, compared with teens who said they hardly ever saw them. There were more pregnancies among the oldest teens interviewed, but the rate of pregnancy remained consistent across all age groups among those who watched the racy programs.
Chandra said TV-watching was strongly connected with teen pregnancy even when other factors were considered, including grades, family structure and parents' education level.
But the study didn't adequately address other issues, such as self-esteem, family values and income, contends Elizabeth Schroeder, executive director of Answer, a teen sex education program based at Rutgers University.
"The media does have an impact, but we don't know the full extent of it because there are so many other factors," Schroeder said.
But Bill Albert, chief program officer at the nonprofit National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, praised the study and said it "catches up with common sense."
Recent comments
i think it is so horrible
lonely dove | Nov. 5, 2008 at 9:41 a.m.
Re: "Why do states which comsume more pornography have a lower...
To Give me | 8:00 | Nov. 4, 2008 at 11:57 a.m.
Look, correlation does not equal causation. By the same logic, higher...
Give me a break | Nov. 4, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.
- Court denies claim of convict 5:21 p.m.
- Student convicted of murder in Italy 5:18 p.m.
- Deadline set to file for McCoy's seat 5:02 p.m.
- Salahis bounced $24K check 4:41 p.m.
- Players like concussion rules 4:40 p.m.
- Obama's stylish aide under scrutiny 4:37 p.m.
- GOP national convention in SLC? 4:36 p.m.
- Ruling appealed in teen beating case 4:27 p.m.
- Highland may pay for burned home 4:18 p.m.
- Baby born on SLC bound flight 4:00 p.m.
- Mr. Football 2009: Tuni Kanuch
- 5A high school football All-State
- Expert paid $500K for Mitchell report
- Miller predicted Tiger's rough road
- Harpring's NBA career is over
- Utah Jazz going green with unis
- 4A high school football: All-State
- Nutty Putty Cave to be sealed today
- MVPs wrap up stellar prep careers
- Jazz: Miles, Kirilenko to play Friday
- Hall reprimanded by MWC
408 - Max Hall issues apology
393 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
362 - Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
292 - Utes won't respond to Hall
278 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
247 - Letters: Liberal because LDS
229 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
188 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
181 - Aggies shoot past Cougars
179
First, a big thank you to all who posted questions here for me to ask...
There were no dogs and there were no cats in Julius Squeezers neighborhood. I...
I hope my sons learn from the example Matt has set. He's the kind of man...
"Risk management plans can include: safety labeling, educational campaigns...
So many fans like to rave about Matthews and his great defense. Why is he...
Re: Another mama. I couldn't agree with you any stronger. Don't judge is...
Mr. Woods only needs to answer the legal consequences of the accident. He...
Sure arrest the conservative boss that hires an illegal alien. He will just...
I'm not a bicyclist, so I don't have a dog in this hunt, but it doesn't take...
Yeah, even Wal-Mart has a greeter. I'm NO fan of the clueless,...
Methinks there are too many Scrooges rating this movie. We loved it!


