Television viewing and alcohol advertising with alcohol expectancies among school-aged children in Taiwan

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study is aimed to examine the strength of association between television watching and potential exposure to alcohol advertising with multidimensional alcohol expectancies in school-aged children. MethodsA total of 779 4th (age 10) and 768 6th (age 12) grade students were recruited from 17 public elementary schools in northern Taiwan in 2006, with two waves of follow-up at 6 months apart. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect information concerning individual characteristics, parental attributes, past-week screen time, drinking behaviors, and alcohol expectancies. Data of aired alcohol advertisements at baseline were obtained from the Nielsen Media Research Advertising Information Services; parenting styles were ascertained from the 1st follow-up. Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire–Children version was used to measure alcohol expectancies (AEs) at baseline and the 2nd follow-up. ResultsNearly 27% of students reported watching television for more than two hours per day and 58% watching television after 9 p.m. Dimension-related heterogeneity exists in the relationship between TV viewing and alcohol advertising with AEs. With statistical adjustment for covariates, spending more than two hours watching TV per day was associated with increased levels of positive AEs “Promoting Relaxation or Tension Reduction [PRTR]” (β=1.52, 95% CI=0.92, 2.12; p<0.001); the exposure to alcohol advertising was associated with decline in negative AEs “Deteriorated Cognitive and Behavioral Function” (e.g., >8.0 ads: β=−1.06, 95% CI=−1.66, −0.47, p<0.01). ConclusionsGreater screen time is associated with elevated positive expectancies of PRTR and alcohol advertising exposure is linked with lowered negative expectancies in late childhood. School-based anti-underage drinking programs may consider integrating the media literacy curriculum.