Smoking Scenes in Teen-Oriented Movies Remain High
Despite a promise from the tobacco industry several years ago, to stop paying for appearances of its products in movies, smoking and tobacco are still a big part of films targeted to teens.
Research by the Dartmouth Medical School and the American Legacy Foundation looked at hundreds of the highest-grossing movies from 1996 through 2004. And according to the research data, tobacco is depicted in more than 70 percent of teen-rated films (movies with G, PG or PG-13 ratings), and nearly 90 percent of R-rated films.
“This news is a wake-up call to public health officials and other leaders,” said American Legacy Foundation President and CEO Dr. Cheryl Healton. “We have seen a downward ‘ratings creep,’ in which studios are shifting depictions of smoking into teen-rated films, and research continues to prove the link between young people seeing smoking in movies and starting to smoke.”
The report comes after a recent announcement from the CDC, that depictions of smoking in movies – which had been on the decline – are back up to levels not seen since the 1950s.
Sources: Dartmouth Medical School, American Legacy Foundation
Younger, Older Teens View Pregnancy Differently
A new survey says younger teenagers see pregnancy as a way to improve their connections with others, while many older teens admit that they are not prepared to become mothers.
The study involved nearly 250 pregnant teenagers at Rhode Island Hospital. The younger teenagers believed a baby would help enhance their relationships – bringing them closer to their boyfriend and creating a family. But about half of the pregnant teens ages 18 and 19 acknowledged they were unprepared – saying they were not ready for the emotional and financial disruptions to come.
“We need to help teenagers identify ways to connect with others in life besides motherhood,” said Cynthia Rosengard, Ph.D, MPH – the study’s lead author. “If those connections are lacking in a teenager’s life, that’s something we all need to look at - whether we’re parents, teachers or physicians.”
Source: Rhode Island Hospital
Watching Pro Wrestling Could Make Teens More Violent
Research by a professor at Wake Forest University’s Baptist Medical Center suggests teenagers who watch pro wrestling are more likely to behave violently, compared to other adolescents.
The study says the frequency of date fighting, carrying weapons and other violent behaviors was higher among teens who watched pro wrestling on TV.
“The bottom line is that adolescents are affected by what they are exposed to,” said Robert DuRant, Ph.D – professor of pediatrics, social science and health policy, and the study’s lead author. “This study shows that the incidence of date fighting and other violence increases when the exposure to violence increases. Wrestling doesn’t in itself cause violence, but when combined with overall socialization, violence on television can affect what is perceived as socially acceptable behavior.”
For its part, a spokesman for World Wrestling Entertainment said the study was flawed – and that many fans find wrestling to be a positive family experience.
Sources: Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Associated Press
Appropriate Parental Punishment and Praise Important to Teens
How you discipline a teen is reportedly not as important to them as how you react to a negative situation.
A study out of Brigham Young University says parents and teens are usually in agreement about accepting punishment for issues that have a moral context – such as lying, stealing or violating societal rules. Teens also expect their parent’s reaction to be more volatile in those situations.
But according to the study, teens say parents tend to overreact to non-moral, minor infringements such as breaking curfew – and fail to praise them for positive activities, like cleaning their room.
"Adolescents find it relatively more unacceptable when parents fail to notice or respond to the times when they believe they've gone above and beyond their duty," says Laura Padilla-Walker, the study’s senior author and assistant professor of marriage, family and human development at BYU. "A parent's ignoring such actions was related to heightened negative emotions from adolescents, as well as perceptions of negative intent on the part of the parent."
Source: Brigham Young University
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