Adolescent Television Research Articles

Childhood and Adolescent Television Viewing and Antisocial Behavior in Early Adulthood

Childhood and Adolescent Television Viewing and Antisocial Behavior in Early Adulthood

Television Viewing and Food Choice Patterns in a Sample of Predominantly Ethnic Minority Youth

Objective: To examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between television viewing and preferred food choices in a sample of ethnic minority, low income adolescents. Methods: A sample of predominantly minority students (n=133) completed surveys at two time points, six months apart. Linear regression models examined television viewing and eating associations. Results: Participants watched >3.5 hours/day of television, which is similar to the national average. Positive cross-sectional relationships existed between television viewing with fast food and sweetened beverage intakes at Time 1 and with snack food intake at both time points (p<0.01). The longitudinal association between change in snack food intake and change in average television hours/day approached significance after adjusting for baseline measure (β=0.305, p=0.017), as did the relationship with family meals (β=-0.20, p=0.02). No other longitudinal relationships were significant. Conclusions and implications: If interventions reduced adolescents television viewing time, such interventions could positively impact eating habits and thereby reduce adolescents risk for obesity.

Television, Adiposity, and Cardiometabolic Risk in Children and Adolescents

It is largely unknown how TV use relates to depot-specific adiposity or cardiometabolic risk in children. To examine relationships between having a TV in the bedroom and TV viewing time with total fat mass, abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adiposity, and cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents. A cross-sectional study of 369 children and adolescents aged 5-18 years was conducted (2010-2011; analysis 2011-2012). Waist circumference; resting blood pressure; fasting triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] and glucose; fat mass by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; and abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adiposity by MRI were assessed. Cardiometabolic risk was defined as three or more risk factors including adverse levels of waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL-C, and glucose. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute ORs of high fat mass; subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue mass (top age-adjusted quartile); and cardiometabolic risk, based on self-reported TV present in the bedroom and TV viewing time, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity level, and unhealthy diet. In multivariable models, presence of a TV in the bedroom and TV viewing time were associated with (p<0.05) higher odds of high waist circumference (OR=1.9-2.1); fat mass (OR=2.0-2.5); and subcutaneous adiposity (OR=2.1-2.9), whereas viewing TV ≥5 hours/day was associated with high visceral adiposity (OR=2.0). Having a TV in the bedroom was associated with elevated cardiometabolic risk (OR=2.9) and high triglycerides (OR=2.0). Having a bedroom TV and TV viewing time were related to high waist circumference, fat mass, and abdominal subcutaneous adiposity. TV viewing time was related to visceral adiposity, and bedroom TV was related to cardiometabolic risk in children, controlling for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and an unhealthy diet. This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.govNCT01595100.

Television and cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents

Television and cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents

Adolescent television viewing and unhealthy snack food consumption: the mediating role of home availability of unhealthy snack foods.

To examine whether home availability of energy-dense snack foods mediates the association between television (TV) viewing and energy-dense snack consumption among adolescents. Cross-sectional. Secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. Adolescents (n 2984) from Years 7 and 9 of secondary school completed a web-based survey, between September 2004 and July 2005, assessing their energy-dense snack food consumption, school-day and weekend-day TV viewing and home availability of energy-dense snack foods. School-day and weekend-day TV viewing were positively associated with energy-dense snack consumption among adolescent boys (β = 0·003, P < 0·001) and girls (β = 0·03, P < 0·001). Furthermore, TV viewing (school day and weekend day) were positively associated with home availability of energy-dense snack foods among adolescent boys and girls and home availability of energy-dense snack foods was positively associated with energy-dense snack food consumption among boys (β = 0·26, P < 0·001) and girls (β = 0·28, P < 0·001). Home availability partly mediated the association between TV viewing and energy-dense snack consumption. The results of the present study suggest that TV viewing has a significant role to play in adolescent unhealthy eating behaviours. Future research should assess the efficacy of methods to reduce adolescent energy-dense snack food consumption by targeting parents to reduce home availability of energy-dense foods and by reducing TV viewing behaviours of adolescents.

Parental Mediation of Television Viewing in the Context of Changing Parent-Child Relationships in Belgium: A latent growth curve analysis in early and middle adolescence

The present study analyzed long-term trends in parental mediation of adolescent television viewing and how this mediation related to changes in teenagers' attachment to their parents. A Belgian panel of early adolescents (n = 883) and of middle adolescents (n = 651) rated three times in three consecutive years how often their parents used restrictive mediation, instructive mediation, and social co-viewing to control their television viewing. The results showed that parental mediation is common during adolescence, even for twelfth graders. However, the latent growth curve analyses indicated that the use of each parental mediation strategy tends to decline throughout adolescence. In addition, parallel process latent growth curve models showed that the decreasing occurrence of instructive mediation and co-viewing is related to parental separation. In contrast, the declining incidence of restrictive mediation during adolescence is not related to parental separation.

Association between childhood and adolescent television viewing and unemployment in adulthood

ObjectiveTo assess the long-term association between childhood television viewing and adult unemployment, and if this association is mediated by educational achievement. MethodStudy members were a general-population birth cohort of 1037 participants born in New Zealand in 1972/1973. Hours of weekday television viewing were reported at ages 5–15. Since age 18, unemployment was assessed retrospectively using life-history calendars to age 32. Information on educational qualifications was collected at age 32. ResultsChildhood and adolescent television viewing predicted adult unemployment. This association was significant for male Study members only (β=0.20, p<0.0001). The association for male Study members remained after further controlling for socioeconomic status, cognitive ability, and early indications of behaviour problems (p<0.0007). The association was only partially mediated by educational achievement and television viewing remained a predictor of unemployment after adjusting for this (p=0.0035). By logistic regression, each additional hour of daily television viewing was associated with an increased likelihood of spending at least 6months in unemployment between ages 18 and 32years (OR=1.36, 95%, CI=1.06, 1.76, p=0.0157). ConclusionChildhood and adolescent television viewing may have long-lasting consequences for adult unemployment for boys. This association is only partially explained by the association between television viewing and educational achievement.

Temptation Island, The Bachelor, Joe Millionaire: A Prospective Cohort Study on the Role of Romantically Themed Reality Television in Adolescents' Sexual Development

This 3-year panel study among 498 adolescents explored the motives for and effects of viewing romantically themed reality television (RTRT). Viewing RTRT was predicted by television dependency and viewing frequencies, but not by connectedness to peers and viewing motives. Viewing RTRT, in turn, predicted communication with peers about sex among girls, and higher estimations of peers' sexual activities among boys one year later. However, viewing RTRT did not predict stereotypical romantic attitudes. The need to explore the longitudinal relationships between television viewing and adolescents' sexuality, with special attention toward the emergence of gender differences in these relationships, is discussed.

Longitudinal associations between television viewing patterns and adolescent body satisfaction

This study addressed profiles of adolescent television use and associations between television viewing profiles and the development of body satisfaction. A sample of 841 adolescent boys and girls, ages 11–17, was recruited for participation in a longitudinal study of adolescent media use. Prior research established eight adolescent television profiles among this sample, reflecting unique patterns of consumption of certain genres, character types, and themes (e.g., romance). This study examined whether an adolescent's television profile predicted Time 2 body satisfaction, after controlling for Time 1 body satisfaction. Among boys, television viewing was unrelated to Time 2 body satisfaction. After controlling for initial body satisfaction, hours spent watching television marginally predicted lower Time 2 body satisfaction among girls. After including television profiles alongside television hours, however, television profile emerged as the stronger predictor. Specifically, a group of girls who watched television frequently and indiscriminately reported the most severe drop in body satisfaction.

The Role of Television Access in the Viewing Time of US Adolescents

We identify the adolescent and family factors that shape the time adolescents spend viewing television. Adolescent traits, family/household characteristics, television access, and TV viewing time were assessed by self-report using a web-based survey conducted with a sample of 457 14- to 16-year-old adolescents in a Northeastern US city. Bivariate analyses indicated that the number of televisions in the home, having a bedroom TV, and subscribing to premium cable/satellite channels were each positively and significantly associated with television viewing time. Regression results show that having greater access to TV significantly increased viewing independent of adolescent and family variables. In addition, the influence of different forms of access on adolescent time varied by respondent race. Having a television set in the bedroom was the strongest predictor of TV time for White adolescents, and having more television sets in the home was the strongest predictor of TV time for Black adolescents. The pattern of findings suggests that interventions should encourage parents to make their adolescents' bedrooms television free and to reduce the number of television sets in the home. Campaigns designed to reduce TV viewing may be most effective if they are tailored for distinct audiences.

Adolescent Screen Time and Rules to Limit Screen Time in the Home

To investigate associations between adolescent screen time behaviors, screen time rules, and presence of electronic media in the bedrooms of adolescents. Parents and adolescents (N = 160 dyads) from the cities of Boston, Cincinnati, and San Diego were asked to complete a questionnaire which included questions related to demographics, screen time rules, availability of media devices, and screen time behavior. Separate multiple regression models were used for adolescent and parent reports to test correlates of adolescent television (TV) watching, video game play, and computer usage for entertainment. Data from adolescents indicated that rules for watching TV, computer usage, and total number of screen time rules were significantly correlated with time spent watching TV (β = -.22, p < .01), playing video or computer games (β = -.18, p < .05), and using the Internet and/or computer for entertainment (β = -.18, p < .05), respectively. Data from parents indicated that TV rules were significantly associated with lower rates of TV viewing, and parent-adolescent agreement on rules strengthened this relationship. Data from parents as well as adolescents indicated that the presence of a TV in the bedroom was positively associated with TV viewing time (β = .18 and .24, p < .05, respectively). Adolescent data indicated a positive association between having at least one video game system in the bedroom and time spent playing video games (β = .19, p < .05). Having clear rules, setting limits on screen time, and not having screen-based media in the bedroom were associated with fewer hours of screen time for adolescents.

Adolescent's television watching and young adults BMI and blood pressure: A longitudinal study

line WC was identified as a predictor of improved WC when preliminary multivariate analysis was undertaken. Conclusion: Tertiary education and increased baseline WC were strong predictors of improved WC directly after the GCC®, however only increased baseline WC was identified as a strong predictor of sustained WC improvement. It will be important to take predictors of success into account when designing and implementing health programs in the workplace. Conflict of interest: None. Funding: The Heart Disease and Diabetes Prevention Centre and the Australian Research Council for partially funded this study. Dr. Anna Peeters is funded by a VicHealth Public Health Fellowship.

Television Use, Sexual Behavior, and Relationship Status at Last Oral Sex and Vaginal Intercourse

The current longitudinal study explores the relationship between adolescent television use at time 1 and sexual experience and relationship status (i.e., committed/romantic versus casual) 1 year later. The sample (N = 824) comprised youth aged 14-18. Multinomial logistic regressions predicting group membership from television exposure variables were conducted controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and prior sexual behavior. Results indicate that sexually inexperienced youth watched more television overall than sexually experienced youth, but less adult, premium and music television on cable networks. Premium cable exposure predicted group membership among sexually active youth. Youth who watched more premium cable at time 1 were more likely to be in casual relationship at last intercourse than a committed one. A more complete understanding of media effects on adolescent sexual relationships can help guide policy development, media education/literacy efforts, and contribute to the design of interventions to reduce the negative consequences associated with adolescent sexual behavior.

Beyond Exposure: A Person‐Oriented Approach to Adolescent Media Diets

Research on adolescents' use of sexual media has been dominated by a variable‐oriented perspective, focusing on incremental effects of media exposure on sexual behavior. The present investigation examines the ways in which adolescents select and organize their television viewing. This study used cluster analysis to identify, validate, and describe distinct profiles of adolescent television use. Eight discrete clusters emerged, each with a unique profile of primetime viewing. To validate the cluster solution, participants' television viewing profiles were compared with their music preferences. The study then examined the sexual content consumed by adolescents in different viewing clusters. Content analysis of the most popular programs revealed that participants in all clusters were watching programs that were high in sexual content alongside programs that were low in sexual content. None of the clusters demonstrated an exclusive preference for sexual content.

Use of television, videogames, and computer among children and adolescents in Italy

BackgroundThis survey determined the practices about television (video inclusive), videogames, and computer use in children and adolescents in Italy.MethodsA self-administered anonymous questionnaire covered socio-demographics; behaviour about television, videogames, computer, and sports; parental control over television, videogames, and computer.ResultsOverall, 54.1% and 61% always ate lunch or dinner in front of the television, 89.5% had a television in the bedroom while 52.5% of them always watched television there, and 49% indicated that parents controlled the content of what was watched on television. The overall mean length of time daily spent on television viewing (2.8 hours) and the frequency of watching for at least two hours per day (74.9%) were significantly associated with older age, always ate lunch or dinner while watching television, spent more time playing videogames and using computer. Those with parents from a lower socio-economic level were also more likely to spend more minutes viewing television. Two-thirds played videogames for 1.6 daily hours and more time was spent by those younger, males, with parents that do not control them, who watched more television, and who spent more time at the computer. The computer was used by 85% of the sample for 1.6 daily hours and those older, with a computer in the bedroom, with a higher number of computers in home, who view more television and play videogames were more likely to use the computer.ConclusionImmediate and comprehensive actions are needed in order to diminish time spent at the television, videogames, and computer.

The social character of parental and adolescent television viewing: An event history analysis

Abstract The amount of time that people spend on watching television is a matter of social concern. In the past, several approaches have been developed explaining why people expose themselves to television, most notably the Uses and Gratifications approach. Building on an action theoretical framework, it is argued that the influence of routinization and situational context of television viewing (including the role played by others) should receive more attention. This approach is then applied to media use in households, with an emphasis on how adolescents and parents influence each other's television viewing. Event history on data from 55 Dutch households (including 86 adolescents and their parents) show that the influence of parents and their adolescent children is reciprocal, that is, not only do parents influence their children, but children also influence their parents. This influence does, however, not increase during the teenage years, nor does parental influence diminish during those years.

Does Childhood Television Viewing Lead to Attention Problems in Adolescence? Results From a Prospective Longitudinal Study

There is controversy over whether childhood television viewing causes attention problems. The findings from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have been mixed. To our knowledge, no longitudinal studies have assessed the impact of children's television viewing on attention problems in adolescence. The objective of this study was to assess this association. Study members were a general population birth cohort of 1037 participants (502 female) born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between April 1972 and March 1973. Parental estimates of children's television-viewing time were obtained at ages 5, 7, 9, and 11 years. Self-, parent-, and teacher-reported attention problems in adolescence were obtained at ages 13 and 15 years. The mean of hours of television viewing during childhood was associated with symptoms of attention problems in adolescence. These associations remained significant after controlling for gender, attention problems in early childhood, cognitive ability at 5 years of age, and childhood socioeconomic status. This association was also independent of adolescent television viewing. Childhood television viewing was associated with attention problems in adolescence, independent of early attention problems and other confounders. These results support the hypothesis that childhood television viewing may contribute to the development of attention problems and suggest that the effects may be long-lasting.

Strong Association Between Time Watching Television and Blood Glucose Control in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

To examine the relationship between blood glucose control and the time spent watching television in Norwegian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in a population-based study. A total of 538 children and adolescents from 9 hospitals in the eastern part of Norway participated in the study; 70% of eligible subjects participated. The time spent watching television and time using a computer was recorded separately by interview together with clinical data. Mean (+/-SD) age was 13.1 +/- 3.7 years, mean diabetes duration was 5.4 +/- 3.4 years, and mean A1C was 8.6 +/- 1.3% (reference range 4.1-6.4). Sixty-two patients (11%) watched television <1 h daily (mean A1C 8.2 +/- 0.9%), 189 patients (35%) watched television between 1 and 2 h daily (8.4 +/- 1.2%), 166 patients (31%) watched television 2-3 h daily (8.7 +/- 1.4%), 75 patients (14%) watched television 3-4 h daily (8.8 +/- 1.2%), and 46 patients (9%) watched television > or =4 h daily (9.5 +/- 1.6%). This trend was highly significant (P < 0.001). The association between television viewing and A1C remained significant, even after adjusting for age and BMI and insulin dose. No correlation between A1C and the use of a personal computer was observed. Extensive television watching is associated with poor blood glucose control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Adolescent television viewing and belief in vampires

A total of 1133 13–15‐year‐old pupils in six secondary schools in South Wales were invited to complete questions concerning vampire belief and amount of television watching. The data demonstrate that belief in vampires was positively associated with higher levels of television watching.

Social Interactions in Adolescent Television Viewing

To examine whether social interactions influence the television viewing choices of adolescents in grades 7 through 12. Data from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey were used to examine the association between individual-level and school-level television choices. An instrumental variables approach was used to solve the simultaneity problem found in models that examine the association between individual and aggregate choices. In-home interviews in the United States collected in 1996. A sample of 4532 students in grades 7 through 12 in 132 US public and private schools who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The reported television viewing choices of an individual's schoolmates. The number of hours of television individuals reported viewing in a week. The number of hours of television that adolescents report viewing per week was associated with their peers' reported hours of television viewing. Adjusted for other covariates, a 1-hour increase in average school-level television viewing was associated with an increase in almost half an hour of television viewing at the individual level. Evidence suggests that social interactions within schools influence the hours of television that adolescents report viewing. This finding is important for both future attempts at modeling the determinants of adolescent television viewing and suggestions for future policy interventions. The presence of social interactions implies that interventions that affect the social norms of television viewing within schools could also change individual television viewing. In reducing the number of hours of television watched, these interventions could also positively affect adolescent obesity, emotional problems, and academic achievement.