Minority boys who smoke are more likely to light up when they think they are being victimized by discrimination, according to a new study from Indiana University. The same does not hold true for minority girls.

Researchers studied 2,561 black and Latino teenagers, of which 12 percent were smokers.

"Boys and girls may experience discrimination differently due to where they spend their time, and that may account for the differences in whether discrimination was associated with increased smoking. The context of discrimination matters," according to the report, which was published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Labels: tobacco use, boys, discrimination

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A Texas community organization, Texans Standing Tall, has found that girls in grades 7 through 12 have been drinking more than boys do, thanks in large part to alcoholic energy drinks (many of which are no longer available).

"Energy drinks are popular among youth, including those that contain alcohol... The only difference on the can labels is the absence of nutrition facts and the appearance of an alcohol percentage. Alcoholic beverages aren't governed by the FDA..."

Anheuser-Bush has now removed all of its alcoholic energy drinks from circulation, in response to a lawsuit claiming the drinks were marketed toward young people. Source: Lufkin (TX) Daily News

Labels: girls, boys, binge drinking

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Male college students are more likely to commit property crimes and abuse substances than males of the same age not enrolled in universities, according to a new study from Bowling Green University.

For purposes of the study, "college student" was defined as a male enrolled in a four-year university program.

Peggy Giordano and Stephen Cernkovich, using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, examined information about 9,245 middle and high school students. The college-bound students had lower levels of criminal activity and substance abuse in grades 7 through 12 than the non-college-bound, but they did worse than the other group once they enrolled in universities.

Labels: boys, college_students, risky_behaviors

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Teenage boys have only two kinds of role models in the media: slackers and superheroes, according to a new study from the University of Massachusetts.

Professor Sharon Lamb studied 674 boys ages 4 to 18 years old in terms of male role models they saw in movies, on television, and in reading materials. Dr. Lamb said she found only two:

• The superhero: Someone who shows their masculinity through power over other people, through exploiting women, showing their wealth, and through sarcasm and superiority.
• The slacker: ''The pot-smoking smelly guy who hates school."

Dr. Lamb believes the superhero is harmful to boys.

"There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday," she said. "Today's superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in nonstop violence: he is aggressive, sarcastic, and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity."

The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.
 

Labels: boys, influences, media

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment