Teenagers who watch TV shows featuring a lot of sexual or racy scenes are twice as likely to become pregnant or to impregnate their partner, according to a new study.
The study is the first to link teen pregnancy to flirting and talk about sex on TV. Researchers tracked more than 700 teenagers nationwide between 12 and 17 years old, measuring for three years how much steamy TV they watch and how many in that time got pregnant or impregnated a partner, according to the study, published in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Popular shows such as “Sex and the City,” “Friends” and “That ’70s Show” were among 23 shows studied, said Anita Chandra, the study’s lead researcher at the Rand Corporation.
“What we’re saying to parents is if your kid is watching at least an hour a day of programming, it’s really good to know what they’re watching,” Chandra said.
The teenage pregnancy rate has been decreasing for nearly 20 years, but about 1 million young women in the United States still get pregnant each year.
Parents can reduce the effects of the sexual content on TV by watching and discussing the scenes and talking about the potential negative consequences of sex, including teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, according to the study.
Chris Mack, whose 14-year-old daughter started ninth grade this year, said her daughter was not allowed to watch MTV and some movies until she entered high school.
“The entire society has become desensitized to things that 20 or 30 years ago we might have found unacceptable,” said Mack, a vice president of the Harford County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations. “It’s just everywhere. You can’t shelter them everywhere, so as a family, we talk about stuff like that.”
Charles Ecker, superintendent of schools in Carroll County, said, “Some things that are on TV, and things kids can see on the Internet, are causing a lot of inappropriate behavior. Parents have to be involved in their children’s lives.”
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