Published online October 31, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 122 No. 5 November 2008, pp. 1047-1054 (doi:10.1542/10.1542/peds.2007-3066)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Chandra, A.
Right arrow Articles by Miu, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Chandra, A.
Right arrow Articles by Miu, A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Adolescent Medicine
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

ARTICLE

Does Watching Sex on Television Predict Teen Pregnancy? Findings From a National Longitudinal Survey of Youth

Anita Chandra, DrPHa, Steven C. Martino, PhDb, Rebecca L. Collins, PhDc, Marc N. Elliott, PhDc, Sandra H. Berry, MAc, David E. Kanouse, PhDc and Angela Miu, MSc

a Rand Corp, Arlington, Virginia
b Rand Corp, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
c Rand Corp, Santa Monica, California

OBJECTIVE. There is increasing evidence that youth exposure to sexual content on television shapes sexual attitudes and behavior in a manner that may influence reproductive health outcomes. To our knowledge, no previous work has empirically examined associations between exposure to television sexual content and adolescent pregnancy.

METHODS. Data from a national longitudinal survey of teens (12–17 years of age, monitored to 15–20 years of age) were used to assess whether exposure to televised sexual content predicted subsequent pregnancy for girls or responsibility for pregnancy for boys. Multivariate logistic regression models controlled for other known correlates of exposure to sexual content and pregnancy. We measured experience of a teen pregnancy during a 3-year period.

RESULTS. Exposure to sexual content on television predicted teen pregnancy, with adjustment for all covariates. Teens who were exposed to high levels of television sexual content (90th percentile) were twice as likely to experience a pregnancy in the subsequent 3 years, compared with those with lower levels of exposure (10th percentile).

CONCLUSIONS. 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.

Key Words: adolescent pregnancy • adolescent sexual behavior • media

Accepted Feb 26, 2008.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Sex. Transm. Infect.Home page
D. A Cohen
School-based STD screening: what next?
Sex Transm Inf, June 1, 2009; 85(3): 160 - 162.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
G. Paul
How Are Other First-World Nations Suppressing the Adverse Consequences of Violence and Youth Sex in the Modern Media Environment?
Pediatrics, February 1, 2009; 123(2): e364 - e364.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JWatch Women's HealthHome page
Does Exposure to Sexual Content on TV Presage Teen Pregnancy?
Journal Watch Women's Health, December 4, 2008; 2008(1204): 2 - 2.
[Full Text]

Home page
 JWatch PediatricsHome page
Sex on Television and Risk for Pregnancy -- Turn the Dial
Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, November 26, 2008; 2008(1126): 6 - 6.
[Full Text]

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

Correlation is not causation
Frederick E Pratter
Pediatrics Online, 4 Nov 2008 [Full text]
Excellent Study
Aaron O. Gillies
Pediatrics Online, 7 Nov 2008 [Full text]
Dubious findings
Mike A. Males
Pediatrics Online, 13 Nov 2008 [Full text]