When I was a teenager, Beverly Hills 90210 was the most popular show on television. Brenda, Dylan, Kelly, Donna…we knew them well. The show’s premise started off simple enough- a teenage brother/sister duo moves from the Midwest to Beverly Hills only to see a new more superficial view of high school. At the end of each episode, the group would learn lessons about diversity, economic hardship, etc. It was all very “after-school-special-like” and served to be a nice replacement for Saved by the Bell fans. But then plots seemed to get more provocative and sexual in nature. In fact (just a little bit of 90210 trivia), every character either loses their virginity on the show or the event is discussed if it occurred prior to the show.

It may not surprise you to hear that 75% of primetime shows contain sexual content. However, if you are a parent, the important part is not just that there is a lot of sexual content on television, but that it can affect the sexual behavior of teenagers. Research has shown that the more sex on TV a teenager watches, the more likely they are to lose their virginity over the following years. This acceleration in sexual initiation was found even when taking into account other likely contributors such as socio-economic status, gender, and peer norms. TV is not the only influential form media. Research has shown that music and magazines also accelerate teenage sexual behavior. And even though the internet has not been examined directly, 70% of 15-17 year olds have reported “accidentally” stumbling across pornography while online.

Having sex at an early age can increase the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and having an unplanned pregnancy. But with iPods, television sets in bedrooms, and YouTube, what can parents do? Media represents a powerful source of information for teens about sex, particularly because schools and parents are not always eager to tackle the subject. In a 2004 survey of students aged 15 to 17 by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the media far outranked parents or schools as the primary source of information about birth control. By communicating about sex, parents will likely lessen the need for media as a source of information. The media also presents sex as normative behavior. This idea that “everyone does it” can also be discussed with kids so they can learn that what is portrayed on TV is not an accurate version of reality. Overall, the research is clear about what parents can do to help prevent their kids from engaging in sex at an early age: TALK. If parents do not, then media will pick up the slack. Good communication may take time and effort, but teens will listen and right now, who is doing the talking?

References

Brown S, Eisenberg L. (1995). The best intentions: Unintended pregnancy and the well being of children and family. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Brown, J.D., L’Engle, K.L., Pardun, C.J., Guo, G., Kenneavy, K., Jackson, C. (2006). Sexy media matter: exposure to sexual content in music, movies, television, and magazines predicts black and white adolescents sexual behavior. Pediatrics, 117, 1018-1027.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2004). Youth risk behavior surveillance -United States, 2003.Morbitity Mortality Weekly Report, 53, SS-2.

Collins, R.L., Elliott, M.N.,Berry, S.H., et al. (2004). Watching sex on television predicts adolescent initiation of sexual behavior, Pediatrics, 114, e280.

Kaiser Family Foundation/Seventeen Magazine. (2004). Sex Smarts: Birth Control and Protection. Menlo Park, CA: Kaiser Family Foundation.

Koyle P, Jensen L, Olsen J. (1989). Comparison of sexual behaviors among adolescents having an early, middle and late first intercourse experience. Youth & Society, 20, 461-476.

Kunkel, D., Eyeal, K., Finerty, K., Biely, E., Donenrstein, E. (2005). Sex on TV. Menlo Park, CA: Kaiser Family Foundation.

Malamuth, N., Huppin, M. (2005). Pornography and teenagers: the importance of individual differences. Adolescent Medicine Clinics, 16, 315-326.

Martino, S., Collins, R., Elliott, M.N., Strachman, A., Kanouse, D.E., & Berry, S., (2006). Exposure to Sexually Degrading Versus Nondegrading Lyrics and Advancing Sexual Behavior Among Youth. Pediatrics, 118, 430-441.