One of the ways in which children learn is by modelling the behaviour of others [1]. While there is an abundance of research examining the influence of family and friends on behaviour, there is increasing evidence that exposure to risky or delinquent behaviour in the media (via video games, television programmes, films and music) is associated with increased risky and delinquent behaviours such as early sexual activity, substance use, aggressive behaviour, suicide, unhealthy eating habits and poor school performance in childhood and adolescence [2]. Given that exposure to television and movies is ubiquitous, it is important to examine associations such as these within longitudinal, prospective cohorts in order to determine exactly what the relationships are.

Research has shown that exposure to depictions of alcohol use and cigarette smoking in movies is associated with actual alcohol and tobacco use [3-5] and there is also evidence that exposure to violence in the media predicts violence and general aggression [6] and results in desensitization to real life violence [7]. Exposure to violence in the media has been reported to explain around 10% of the variance in real-life violence [2]. There is also evidence that exposure to "sexy" media is associated with precocious sexual activity in adolescence and increased likelihood of teenage pregnancy [8, 9]. However, other risk factors are also associated with delinquent behaviour in childhood and adolescence (apart from exposure to violence) including reduced academic ability and achievement, psychopathic tendencies and psychopathology / emotional disorder [6].

Unfortunately the majority of research to date has been carried out in North America which limits the generalisability of the conclusions. The aim of this proposal therefore is to examine the relationships between media exposure and a range of risky and delinquent behaviours in a UK cohort while controlling for a range of for individual, family and enviromental variables which may confound these relationships. In so doing we will compliment the work which has already been undertaken by Professor Jim Sargent from the USA.

Methods

Study Population: The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC: see www.alspac.bris.ac.uk) is a population-based study which has been described in detail elsewhere (Golding, Pembrey, & Jones, 2001). All pregnant women living in one of three Bristol-based health districts in the United Kingdom (EDD April 1991 - December 1992) were invited to take part in the study; in total 14,541 mothers enrolled and 13,988 infants were still alive at their first birthday.

Measures

Media exposure: items about television and movie exposure have been asked at various stages throughout the duration of the cohort. In childhood and early adolescence, time spent watching television and attempts to model oneself on characters (height, weight, hair colour etc) from television have been administered and in the 15+ clinic adolescents were asked which movies they had seen from a list which had been coded for risky / delinquent behaviours.

Risky / delinquent behaviours

Items asking study participants about tobacco, alcohol and substance use have been administered repeatedly since late childhood / early adolescence as have items about romantic and sexual behaviours. Although there appear to be no items relating to exposure to violence per se, questionnaires about anti-social behaviour and being the victim / perpetrator of bullying have also been asked on a regular basis. Items about eating patterns were asked in the 16+ child completed questionnaire.

Potential confounders

The comprehensive nature of the ALSPAC cohort means that a variety of potentially confounding factors are available for use in the analyses. Variables measured repeatedly over late childhood and adolescence which comprise individual characteristics include the age and sex of the young person, their academic ability, measures of affect (Moods and Feelings questionnaire) and psychopathology (DAWBA). Family variables include family type and structure, family adversity, parental involvement in anti-social or delinquent behaviours / dealings with the police and environmental or contextual variables include feelings of security in the neighbourhood (14 years) and also questions about peer relationships asked at various times throughout late childhood / adolescence.

Analysis

The opportunity to use data from the ALSPAC cohort to examine relationships between media exposure (movie and TV viewing ) and risky / delinquent behaviour in adolescence means that both descriptive and inferential analyses can be undertaken to both provide an overview of relationships between these factors and will also provide an opportunity to begin to examine causal relationships.

References

[1] Bandura A, Ross D, Ross SA. Imitation of film mediated aggressive models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. 1963;63:3-11.

[2] Strasburger VC. Children, adolescents and the media: what we know, what we don't know and what we need to find out (quickly!). Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2009;94(9):655-7.

[3] Dal Cin S, Worth K, Gerrard M, Gibbons F, Stoolmiller M, Wills T, et al. Watching and drinking: expectancies, prototypes, and friends' alcohol use mediate the effect of exposure to alcohol use in movies on adolescent drinking. Health Psychology. 2009;28(4):475-83.

[4] Tanski S, Stoolmiller M, Dal Cin S, Worth K, Gibson J, Sargent J. Movie character smoking and adolescent smoking: who matters more, good guys or bad guys? Pediatrics. 2007;124:135-43.

[5] Heatherton T, Sargent J. Does watching smoking in movies promote teenage smoking? Current Directions in Psychological Science. 2009;18(2):63-7.

[6] Boxer P, Huesmann LR, Bushman BJ, O'Brien M, Moceri D. The Role of Violent Media Preference in Cumulative Developmental Risk for Violence and General Aggression. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 2009;38(3):417-28.

[7] Anderson CA, Carnagey NL. Causal effects of violent sports video games on aggression: Is it competitiveness or violent content? Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 2009;45(4):731-9.

[8] Collins RL, Elliott MN, Berry SH, Kanouse DE, Hunter SB. Entertainment television as a healthy sex educator: The impact of condom-efficacy information in an episode of Friends. Pediatrics. 2003;112(5):1115-21.

[9] Chandra A, Martino SC, Collins RL, Elliott MN, Berry SH, Kanouse DE, et al. Does Watching Sex on Television Predict Teen Pregnancy? Findings From a National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Pediatrics. 2008;122(5):1047-54.