The Influence of Sex on TV

Posted by Anthony Lee Nov 8, 2008

According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, parents should be concerned about portrayals of sex on television.

The study involved a survey of teenage boys and girls with various levels of exposure to televised sexual depictions. It determined whether any of the girls had ever become pregnant and whether any of the boys have impregnated any girl. After three years of follow-up, an association was found between the amount of sexual image exposure and the rate of teen pregnancy. Adolescents with the highest level of exposure were twice as likely to lead themselves into teen pregnancy than those with the least exposure.

Naturally, such findings can alarm parents. While there's nothing wrong with wanting the entertainment industry to tone itself down, efforts in that direction might not have immediate benefit. On the contrary, talking to one's children about the possible negative consequences of sex can potentially have a lasting impact. That is probably the best thing to do. Even the conclusions of the study suggest that.

Source: Chandra, Anita, et al. "Does watching sex on television predict teen pregnancy? Findings from a national longitudinal survey of youth." Pediatrics 2008 Nov;122(5):1047-54.