R-rated Movies Research Articles

Children, Adolescents, Substance Abuse, and the Media

The causes of adolescent substance use are multifactorial, but the media can play a key role. Tobacco and alcohol represent the 2 most significant drug threats to adolescents. More than $25 billion per year is spent on advertising for tobacco, alcohol, and prescription drugs, and such advertising has been shown to be effective. Digital media are increasingly being used to advertise drugs. In addition, exposure to PG-13- and R-rated movies at an early age may be a major factor in the onset of adolescent tobacco and alcohol use. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a ban on all tobacco advertising in all media, limitations on alcohol advertising, avoiding exposure of young children to substance-related (tobacco, alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs) content on television and in PG-13- and R-rated movies, incorporating the topic of advertising and media into all substance abuse-prevention programs, and implementing media education programs in the classroom.

Parental R-Rated Movie Restriction and Early-Onset Alcohol Use

The aim of this study was to determine if parental restriction regarding Restricted-rated movies (R movies) predicts lower rates of early-onset alcohol use. Students from 15 northern New England middle schools were surveyed in 1999, and never-drinkers were resurveyed 13-26 months later to determine alcohol use. Drinking was determined by the question, "Have you ever had beer, wine, or other drink with alcohol that your parents didn't know about?" R-movie restriction was assessed by the question, "How often do your parents allow you to watch movies that are rated R?" The sample included 2,406 baseline never-drinkers who were surveyed at follow-up, of whom 14.8% had initiated alcohol use. At baseline, 20% reported never being allowed to watch R movies, and 21% reported being allowed all the time. Adolescents allowed to watch R-rated movies had higher rates of alcohol initiation (2.9% initiation among never allowed, 12.5% once in a while, 18.8% sometimes, and 24.4% all the time). Controlling for sociodemographics, personality characteristics, and authoritative parenting style, the adjusted odds ratios for initiating alcohol use were 3.0 (95% CI [1.7, 5.1]) for those once in a while allowed, 3.3 [1.9, 5.6] for those sometimes allowed, and 3.5 [2.0, 6.0] for those always allowed to watch R-rated movies. Alcohol initiation was more likely if R-rated movie restriction relaxed over time; tightening of restriction had a protective effect (p < .001). A structural model was developed that modeled two latent parenting constructs: (a) authoritative parenting and (b) media parenting. Both constructs had direct inverse paths to trying alcohol and indirect paths through lower exposure to R-rated movies. After accounting for differences in authoritative parenting style, adolescents reporting lesser restrictions for R movies have higher odds of future alcohol use. The structural model suggests that media parenting operates independently from authoritative parenting and should be incorporated explicitly into parenting prevention programs.

Who Does God Want Me to Invite to See The Passion of the Christ?: Marketing Movies to Evangelicals

This article explores the dominant themes of The Passion of the Christ's marketing campaign to better understand the role and tactics of marketing in the religious media economy. In particular, this marketing-centered textual analysis covers how Passion's purported accuracy, authenticity, rating, and use as a proselytizing device were framed to appeal to evangelicals' skepticism of mainstream Hollywood ideals, R-rated movies, and potential sacrilege of the subject matter.

Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Risk Behaviors in Film: How Well Do MPAA Ratings Distinguish Content?

To evaluate the usefulness of Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings for parental selection of appropriate films for children, the 100 top grossing movies each year from 1996 through 2004 ( N = 900) were content analyzed to measure risk behaviors in each film. More restrictive MPAA ratings (R and PG-13) were associated with increased mean seconds of portrayals of tobacco use, alcohol use, and sexual content; increased frequency of violent content; and increased salience of drug use. MPAA ratings, however, did not clearly distinguish films based on tobacco or alcohol use. Fifty percent of R-rated movies contained 124 seconds or more of tobacco use, comparable with 26% of PG-13 and 17% of PG movies. Fifty percent of R-rated movies contained 162 seconds or more of alcohol use, comparable with 49% of PG-13 and 25% of PG movies. Because of the high degree of overlap in alcohol and tobacco content between rating categories, the MPAA rating system, as currently defined, is not adequate for parents who wish to limit their children's exposure to tobacco or alcohol content in movies.

R-rated Movie Viewing, Growth in Sensation Seeking and Alcohol Initiation: Reciprocal and Moderation Effects

The current study employed parallel process and discrete time hazard regressions to examine the interplay among exposure to R-rated movies, sensation seeking, and initiation of alcohol use in a national U.S. sample (N = 6255) of adolescents, ages 10-14, who were followed over four waves spanning 2 years. There was a short-term reciprocal relation between watching R-rated movies and sensation seeking, but over the 2-year observation period, exposure to R-rated movies was associated with increases in sensation seeking and not vice versa. Sensation seeking also moderated the effect of watching R-rated movies on initiation of alcohol consumption such that exposure was associated with greater increases in initiation of alcohol use among low sensation than among high sensation seeking adolescents. The study provides empirical evidence of an environmental media effect on sensation seeking, and important new information about the relations among sensation seeking, media exposure, and adolescent alcohol use.

Effect of Visual Media Use on School Performance: A Prospective Study

To identify mechanisms for the impact of visual media use on adolescents' school performance. We conducted a 24-month, four-wave longitudinal telephone study of a national sample of 6,486 youth aged 10 to 14 years. Exposure measures: latent construct for screen exposure time (weekday time spent viewing television/playing videogames, presence of television in bedroom) and variables for movie content (proportion of PG-13 and R movies viewed). self- and parent reports of grades in school. Effects of media exposures on change in school performance between baseline and 24 months were assessed using structural equation modeling. Information about hypothesized mediators (substance use, sensation seeking, and school problem behavior) was obtained at baseline and at the 16-month follow-up. Adjusted for baseline school performance, baseline levels of mediators, and a range of covariates, both screen exposure time and media content had adverse effects on change in school performance. Screen exposure had an indirect effect on poor school performance through increased sensation seeking. Viewing more PG-13 and R-rated movies had indirect effects on poor school performance mediated through increases in substance use and sensation seeking. R-rated viewing also had an indirect effect on poor school performance through increased school behavior problems. The effect sizes of exposure time and content on the intermediate variables and ultimately on school performance were similar to those for previously recognized determinants of these mediators, including household income, parenting style, and adolescents' self-control. These aspects of visual media use adversely affect school performance by increasing sensation seeking, substance use, and school problem behavior.

Commentary] WITH YOUTH SMOKING AT HISTORICAL LOWS, HOW INFLUENTIAL IS MOVIE SMOKING ON UPTAKE?

Commentary] WITH YOUTH SMOKING AT HISTORICAL LOWS, HOW INFLUENTIAL IS MOVIE SMOKING ON UPTAKE?

Parental Attitudes About Cigarette Smoking and Alcohol Use in the Motion Picture Association of America Rating System

To evaluate whether parents want smoking and alcohol use to be considered in movie ratings. Data were collected as part of a longitudinal study of adolescent health behavior involving 2564 parent/child dyads from northern New England. Parents (n = 2401) were surveyed at wave 2 about movie ratings. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a subset of parents (n = 62) 15 months later. Participants were surveyed by telephone. Most parents (94.9%; n = 2279) were mothers, 52.5% were younger than 40 years, and 90.6% were white, and children were aged 9 to 15 years. Whether cigarette and alcohol use should be included as movie ratings criteria and if movies with cigarette or alcohol use should be rated R. About 52% (n = 1242) and 66% (n = 1579) of parents believed cigarette or alcohol use, respectively, should be used as movie ratings criteria; 28.9% (n = 693) supported an R rating for movies with smoking and 41.9% (n = 1003) supported R ratings for alcohol. In adjusted models, parents were more likely to support adding cigarette and alcohol use as ratings criteria if they believed the current ratings were not useful, they restricted their children from watching R-rated movies, and they were nondrinkers. Nonsmoking parents were more likely to support an R rating for smoking. Interviews revealed that parents may underestimate the impact of movie smoking and drinking. Although a majority of parents supported including smoking or drinking in ratings criteria, fewer favored R ratings. Parental support could be a key factor in determining the impact of modifications to the Motion Picture Association of America rating system.

Perceived Accessibility of Cigarettes Among Youth: A Prospective Cohort Study

The accessibility of tobacco for youth is difficult to measure, partly because of the varied sources of cigarettes. Perceptions about the accessibility of cigarettes assesses availability from all potential sources and has been found to predict future smoking. This study examines the determinants of perceived accessibility from the perspective of a longitudinal study. Data were derived from the second Development and Assessment of Nicotine Dependence in Youth study, a 4-year longitudinal study of 1246 sixth-grade students who underwent up to 11 in-person interviews from 2002 to 2006. Perceived accessibility was assessed prospectively by asking students whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement It would be easy for me to get a cigarette. At baseline, the average age was 12 years; 85% had never before smoked; more than 21% perceived that cigarettes were easy to obtain. Perceived accessibility increased over the 4 years among the cohort. Youth with friends who smoked or whose parents allowed the watching of R-rated movies were more likely to perceive easy accessibility of cigarettes. Among nonsmokers, there was a dose-response relationship between perceived accessibility and exposure to smoking in the family environment. Nonsmokers who knew commercial sources of cigarettes also had higher perceived accessibility. Several potentially preventable exposures to tobacco in the family and social environment contribute to confidence among some youth that cigarettes are easy to obtain. Further studies are needed to determine if modifying these factors (e.g., through programs to reduce the exposure of youth to tobacco products in the home) might reduce perceived accessibility.

Exposure of US Adolescents to Extremely Violent Movies

Despite concerns about exposure to violent media, there are few data on youth exposure to violent movies. In this study we examined such exposure among young US adolescents. We used a random-digit-dial survey of 6522 US adolescents aged 10 to 14 years fielded in 2003. Using previously validated methods, we determined the percentage and number of US adolescents who had seen each of 534 recently released movies. We report results for the 40 that were rated R for violence by the Motion Picture Association of America, UK 18 by the British Board of Film Classification and coded for extreme violence by trained content coders. The 40 violent movies were seen by a median of 12.5% of an estimated 22 million US adolescents aged 10 to 14 years. The most popular violent movie, Scary Movie, was seen by >10 million (48.1%) children, 1 million of whom were 10 years of age. Watching extremely violent movies was associated with being male, older, nonwhite, having less-educated parents, and doing poorly in school. Black male adolescents were at particularly high risk for seeing these movies; for example Blade, Training Day, and Scary Movie were seen, respectively, by 37.4%, 27.3%, and 48.1% of the sample overall versus 82.0%, 81.0%, and 80.8% of black male adolescents. Violent movie exposure was also associated with measures of media parenting, with high-exposure adolescents being significantly more likely to have a television in their bedroom and to report that their parents allowed them to watch R-rated movies. This study documents widespread exposure of young US adolescents to movies with extreme graphic violence from movies rated R for violence and raises important questions about the effectiveness of the current movie-rating system.

Exposure to Movie Smoking Among US Adolescents Aged 10 to 14 Years: A Population Estimate

Several studies have linked seeing smoking in movies with adolescent smoking, but none have determined how much movie smoking adolescents see. Our aim was to determine exposure to movie smoking in a representative sample of young US adolescents. METHODS. We surveyed 6522 nationally representative US adolescents aged 10-14 years. We content analyzed 534 contemporary box-office hits for movie smoking. Each movie was assigned to a random subsample of adolescents (mean: 613) who were asked whether they had seen the movie. Using survey weights, we estimated the total number of US adolescents who had seen each movie and then multiplied by the number of smoking depictions in each movie to obtain gross smoking impressions seen by adolescents. The 534 movies were mainly rated PG-13 (41%) and R (40%), and 74% contained smoking (3830 total smoking occurrences). On average, each movie was seen by 25% of the adolescents surveyed. Viewership was higher with increased age and lower for R-rated movies. Overall, these movies delivered 13.9 billion gross smoking impressions, an average of 665 to each US adolescent aged 10-14 years. Although this sample's R-rated movies contained 60% of smoking occurrences, they delivered only 39% of smoking impressions because of lower adolescent viewership. Thirty popular movies each delivered > or =100 million gross smoking impressions. Thirty actors each delivered >50 million smoking impressions, such that just 1.5% of actors delivered one quarter of all character smoking to the adolescent sample. Popular movies deliver billions of smoking images and character smoking depictions to young US adolescents. Removing smoking from youth-rated films would substantially reduce exposure from new box-office hits. Furthermore, the popular actors who frequently smoke in movies could have a major impact on adolescent movie smoking exposure by choosing not to portray characters who smoke.

R-Rated Movies, Bedroom Televisions, and Initiation of Smoking by White and Black Adolescents

To test movie exposure and television use as predictors of smoking initiation among white and black adolescents who had never smoked cigarettes. Survey research using audio computer-assisted self-interviews at baseline and at 2-year follow-up (2002-2004). Participants' homes located in central North Carolina. A sample of 735 12- to 14-year-old adolescents drawn from 14 public middle schools. Frequency of exposure to movies rated R, PG-13, PG, or G; frequency, location, and parental oversight of television viewing. Initiation of smoking, indicated by the first occasion of puffing on a cigarette. Among white adolescents, high relative exposure to R-rated movies predicted a significantly greater likelihood of smoking initiation at follow-up, and private access to television during early adolescence, indicated by having a bedroom television, was also a significant independent predictor of smoking initiation at follow-up. No significant associations were observed between any movie-exposure or television-use variables and likelihood of smoking among black adolescents. Indicators of risky media use were associated with a significantly greater likelihood of smoking for white but not for black adolescents. These results diverge strongly from past results, which have indicated that all adolescents, regardless of race or place of residence, have a higher risk of smoking initiation as their exposure to movie smoking increases. Research is needed to identify the antecedents of risky media use and to understand how audience attributes, including race and other factors, moderate the effects of risky media use on health-related behaviors.

Cigarettes and Cinema: Does Parental Restriction of R-Rated Movie Viewing Reduce Adolescent Smoking Susceptibility?

Purpose To examine the relationship between exposure to pro-smoking messages in media and susceptibility to smoking adoption among middle school students. The hypothesis that parental restriction of R-rated movie viewing is associated with lower adolescent smoking susceptibility was tested. Methods A sample of 1687 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-grade students from four Wisconsin middle schools were surveyed about their use of cigarettes, exposure to smoking in media, their views of smoking, and peer smoking behaviors. Results An index of smoking susceptibility was created using measures of cigarette use and future intention to smoke. A zero-order correlation for parental restriction of R-rated movie viewing and smoking susceptibility showed a strong association (r = −.36, p < .001). A hierarchical logistic regression yielded odds ratios (ORs) for being susceptible to or having tried smoking for three levels of parental R-rated movie restriction. Results show that compared to full restriction, respondents with partial or no restriction were more likely to be susceptible to smoking (partial restriction: OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.5–2.8; no restriction: OR = 3.3, 95% CI = 2.3–4.6), when controlling for demographic factors, and family and friend smoking. Analyses using a measure of smoking prevalence as the dependent variable yielded similar results (partial restriction: OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0–2.2; no restriction: OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.7–3.7). Conclusions Parental restriction of R-rated movie viewing is associated with both lower adolescent smoking susceptibility and lower smoking rates.

Parental Rules and Monitoring of Children’s Movie Viewing Associated With Children’s Risk for Smoking and Drinking

Evidence suggests that media portrayals of tobacco and alcohol use are important predictors of adolescent smoking and drinking. We examined the role of parents in monitoring and limiting children's movie exposure and whether or not this was associated with a lower risk of adolescent smoking and drinking. We surveyed 2606 child-parent dyads between 2002 and 2003. We asked children (9-12 years of age) how often their parents engaged in specific behaviors to monitor their movie viewing and if their parents allowed them to watch R-rated movies. We also surveyed children about parental monitoring of nonmedia-related behaviors. The primary outcomes were risk of smoking and drinking alcohol, defined by attitudinal susceptibility or early experimentation with either substance. Less than half (45.0%) the children were prohibited from watching R-rated movies. Of those who were allowed to watch R-rated movies, one third (34.7%) always viewed them with a parent and two thirds (65.3%) sometimes watched them without a parent. Less than 10% of the children reported that their parents consistently engaged in all 4 movie-monitoring behaviors. Even after controlling for parental monitoring of nonmedia-related behaviors and other covariates, children were at lower risk of smoking and drinking if their parents prohibited them from watching R-rated movies. Parental coviewing of R-rated movies was associated with a lower risk of child smoking but not drinking if parents consistently monitored what their children watched. Parental rules and monitoring of children's movie viewing may have a protective influence on children's risk for smoking and drinking, over and above parental monitoring of nonmedia related behaviors. This highlights a potential role for parents in preventing early initiation of tobacco and alcohol use among adolescents.

Association Between Television, Movie, and Video Game Exposure and School Performance

The relationship between media exposure and school performance has not been studied extensively in adolescents. The purpose of this work was to test the relative effects of television, movie, and video game screen time and content on adolescent school performance. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey of middle school students (grades 5-8) in the Northeastern United States. We looked at weekday television and video game screen time, weekend television and video game screen time, cable movie channel availability, parental R-rated movie restriction, and television content restriction. The main outcome was self-report of school performance (excellent, good, average, or below average). We used ordinal logistic-regression analysis to test the independent effects of each variable, adjusting for demographics, child personality, and parenting style. There were 4508 students who participated in the study; gender was equally represented, and 95% were white. In multivariate analyses, after adjusting for other covariates, the odds of poorer school performance increased with increasing weekday television screen time and cable movie channel availability and decreased with parental restriction of television content restriction. As compared with children whose parents never allowed them to watch R-rated movies, children who watched R-rated movies once in a while, sometimes, or all of the time had significantly increased cumulative odds of poorer school performance. Weekend screen time and video game use were not associated with school performance. We found that both content exposure and screen time had independent detrimental associations with school performance. These findings support parental enforcement of American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for media time (particularly weekdays) and content limits to enhance school success.

Televised Movie Trailers

To determine the proportion of televised movie trailers that included images of tobacco use during 1 year and the extent of youth exposure to those trailers. Content analysis combined with Nielsen data measuring media exposure. All movie trailers (N = 216) shown on television from August 1, 2001, through July 31, 2002. Exposure among youth aged 12 to 17 years to televised movie trailers that included smoking imagery. Of the movie trailers televised during the study period, 14.4% (31 trailers) included images of tobacco use. Tobacco use was shown in 24.0% of the 23 trailers for R-rated (restricted) movies and 7.5% of the 8 trailers for PG-13- and PG-rated (parental guidance) movies. Ninety-five percent of all youth aged 12 to 17 years in the United States saw at least 1 movie trailer depicting tobacco use on television during this 1 year, and 88.8% saw at least 1 of these trailers 3 or more times. Nearly all US youth aged 12 to 17 years were exposed to images of tobacco use on television in the context of a movie trailer during the study period. Given the relationship between youth exposure to tobacco use in movies and smoking initiation, the public health community should work to enact policy to reduce or eliminate the influence of tobacco use in televised movie trailers.

Smoking in the Movies Increases Adolescent Smoking: A Review

Despite voluntary restrictions prohibiting direct and indirect cigarette marketing to youth and paid product placement, tobacco use remains prevalent in movies. This article presents a systematic review of the evidence on the nature and effect of smoking in the movies on adolescents (and others). We performed a comprehensive literature review. We identified 40 studies. Smoking in the movies decreased from 1950 to approximately 1990 and then increased rapidly. In 2002, smoking in movies was as common as it was in 1950. Movies rarely depict the negative health outcomes associated with smoking and contribute to increased perceptions of smoking prevalence and the benefits of smoking. Movie smoking is presented as adult behavior. Exposure to movie smoking makes viewers' attitudes and beliefs about smoking and smokers more favorable and has a dose-response relationship with adolescent smoking behavior. Parental restrictions on R-rated movies significantly reduces youth exposure to movie smoking and subsequent smoking uptake. Beginning in 2002, the total amount of smoking in movies was greater in youth-rated (G/PG/PG-13) films than adult-rated (R) films, significantly increasing adolescent exposure to movie smoking. Viewing antismoking advertisements before viewing movie smoking seems to blunt the stimulating effects of movie smoking on adolescent smoking. Strong empirical evidence indicates that smoking in movies increases adolescent smoking initiation. Amending the movie-rating system to rate movies containing smoking as "R" should reduce adolescent exposure to smoking and subsequent smoking.

Use of Cigarettes and Alcohol by Preschoolers While Role-playing as Adults

To examine preschoolers' attitudes, expectations, and perceptions of tobacco and alcohol use. Structured observational study. Children used props and dolls to act out a social evening for adults. As part of the role play, each child selected items from a miniature grocery store stocked with 73 different products, including beer, wine, and cigarettes, for an evening with friends. A behavioral laboratory at the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College. One hundred twenty children, 2 to 6 years old, participated individually in the role-playing. Whether or not a child purchased cigarettes or alcohol at the store. Children purchased a mean of 17 of the 73 products in the store. Thirty-four children (28.3%) bought cigarettes and 74 (61.7%) bought alcohol. Children were more likely to buy cigarettes if their parents smoked (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-12.63). Children were more likely to buy beer or wine if their parents drank alcohol at least monthly (adjusted OR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.02-9.10) or if they viewed PG-13- or R-rated movies (adjusted OR, 5.10; 95% CI, 1.14-22.90). Children's play behavior suggests that they are highly attentive to the use and enjoyment of alcohol and tobacco and have well-established expectations about how cigarettes and alcohol fit into social settings. The data suggest that observation of adult behavior, especially parental behavior, may influence preschool children to view smoking and drinking as appropriate or normative in social situations. These perceptions may relate to behaviors adopted later in life.

Smoking in Contemporary American Cinema

The true prevalence of smoking among characters portrayed in the movies is unknown. This study examines this prevalence objectively. The top 10 movies on the weekly box office charts were reviewed. Whether or not the top five characters in these movies smoked, was documented. It was determined prior to the start of the study that 300 male characters and 300 female characters were needed to detect any significant difference. A total of 447 movies, composed of 193 movies rated restricted (R) [children < 17 years of age must be accompanied by an adult], 131 movies rated PG13 for parental guidance suggested for children < 13 years of age (PG) and 123 movies rated PG for parental guidance suggested, were examined until the sample size was reached. Smoking prevalence is the same in contemporary American movies and in the general US population (23.3% vs 24.8%, respectively). However, there was more smoking in these movies among men than among women (25.5% vs 20.5%, respectively; p < 0.006), among antagonists than among protagonists (35.7% vs 20.6%, respectively; p < 0.001), lower vs middle vs upper socioeconomic class (SEC) [48.2%, 22.9%, and 10.5%, respectively; p < 0.001], among independent vs studio movies (46.2% vs 18.2%, respectively; p < 0.001); and among R-rated vs PG13-rated vs PG-rated movies (37.3%, 16.2%, and 8.1%, respectively; p < 0.001). In R-rated movies, and in both subcategories of R-rated studio movies and R-rated independent movies, smoking prevalence is higher than in the US population (37.3%, 30.5%, and 50.6% vs 24.8%, respectively; p < 0.001 for all). Additionally, compared to the US population, men, women and lower SEC members smoke more in R-rated movies, R-rated studio movies, and R-rated independent movies. In R-rated movies, antagonists smoke more than protagonists (43.9% vs 35.8%, respectively; p < 0.001), and whites smoke more than nonwhites (38.3% vs 26.4%, respectively; p < 0.001). In R-rated studio movies, antagonists smoke more than protagonists (42.6% vs 26.6%, respectively; p < 0.001), and men smoke more than women (32.0% vs 27.9%, respectively; p = 0.03). In R-rated independent movies, whites smoke more than nonwhites (51.8% vs 40.5%, respectively; p < 0.001). Smoking prevalence is higher in R-rated independent movies than in R-rated studio movies (50.6% vs 30.5%, respectively; p < 0.001). Smoking prevalence is also higher in R-rated independent movies than in R-rated studio movies in subcategories of men (32.0% vs 49.8%, respectively; p < 0.001), women (21.8 vs 51.8%, respectively; p < 0.001), protagonists (26.6% vs 51.6%, respectively; p < 0.001), whites (31.5% vs 51.8%, respectively; p < 0.001), nonwhites (24.7% vs 40.5%, respectively; p < 0.001), and all three SECs. In contemporary American cinema, the smoking prevalence is higher for men, antagonistic characters, lower SEC, independent movies, and R-rated movies. Smoking prevalence is higher than in the general US population in R-rated movies, and in both its subcategories of R-rated studio movies and R-rated independent movies. There is more smoking in R-rated independent movies than in R-rated studio movies. Smoking in contemporary American cinema is associated with male sex, lower SEC, and antagonistic (ie, bad) characters.

Mass media as a sexual super peer for early maturing girls

Purpose To investigate the possibility that the mass media (television, movies, music, and magazines) serve as a kind of super peer for girls who enter puberty sooner than their age-mates. Multiple studies have demonstrated significant associations between earlier pubertal timing and earlier transition to first sex. Does puberty also stimulate interest in sexual media content that is seen as giving permission to engage in sexual behavior? Methods White and African-American female adolescents (n = 471; average age 13.7 years) recruited from public middle schools in central North Carolina completed two self-administered surveys in their homes about their pubertal status, interest in and exposure to various media, and perceptions of sexual media content. Results Earlier maturing girls reported more interest than later maturing girls in seeing sexual content in movies, television, and magazines, and in listening to sexual content in music, regardless of age or race. Earlier maturing girls were also more likely to be listening to music and reading magazines with sexual content, more likely to see R-rated movies, and to interpret the messages they saw in the media as approving of teens having sexual intercourse. Conclusions The mass media may be serving as a kind of sexual super peer, especially for earlier maturing girls. Given the lack of sexual health messages in most media adolescents attend to, these findings give cause for concern. The media should be encouraged to provide more sexually healthy content, and youth service providers and physicians should be aware that earlier maturing girls may be interested in sexual information.