Another study has documented the dangerous effect that improper media influences can have on young people. Children who watch movies that are R-rated and meant for adults are more likely to try alcohol, according to a new study in the journal Prevention Science.

• Dr. James Sargent and his colleagues at Dartmouth Medical School surveyed 6,255 children ages 12 to 14 years old every eight months for two years between 2003 and 2005.
  
• The students were allowed to watch both family-oriented and R-rated movies. The R-rated movies were all box office hits rather than horror or sexually oriented films.
  
• The children answered questions about whether they like to do scary or dangerous things, if they were bored and restless, and if they had tried alcohol without telling their parents.
  
• If a child considered a "low sensation seeker" watched R-rated movies, he or she was just as likely to experiment with drinking alcohol as the children rated "high sensation seekers."

"The study found that watching R-rated movies affected the level of sensation seeking among adolescents," said Dr. Sargent. "R-rated movies not only contains scenes of alcohol use that prompt adolescents to drink, they also jack up the sensation seeking tendency, which makes adolescents more prone to engage in all sorts of risky behaviors."

"The message to parents is clear," he said. "Take the movie ratings literally. Under-17s should not be permitted to see R-rated movies."

Labels: media_influences

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It's easy to find statistics about teenage drug use. It's also fairly easy to find tragic stories of teens that lost their lives, or ended up in prison, because of their addictions. The dangers of drug use are well-known, yet teens continue to get drunk, get high, and get addicted. Why?

"Life is often difficult for teenagers. When they're unhappy and uncomfortable with themselves and have neither a healthy outlet for their frustrations nor a trusted confidant, they may turn to chemicals for solace."

The media often makes drug use look much more prevalent than it actually is, making teens feel like it must not be "a big deal" if so many people are doing it. Teens who feel socially awkward, depressed, or ignored by their parents are also more likely to turn to alcohol and drugs. Read more at DrugFree.org.

Labels: addiction, media_influences, causes_of_teen_substance_abuse

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Sixth and seventh graders who view high numbers of advertisements for alcoholic beverages are 50% more likely to drink and 36% more likely to decide to drink than peers who do not view such materials.

Liquor and beer advertisements appear on television, radio and the Internet, in magazines and in-store promotions, and as promotional items like t-shirts and posters. The study by the Rand Corporation concluded that adolescents see about 250 television ads every year, and that even fourth graders are familiar with brand names and slogans.

This study appears in the June 2007 Journal of Adolescent Health.

Dealing with teen drug abuse or teen drug addiction? Find a teen drug rehab at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: alcohol, media_influences, advertising

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments