Teen sex, drugs link to bedroom TVs
By Cara Jenkin, The Advertiser (AU)
March 28, 2005
TEENAGERS who have a television in their bedroom are more likely to use marijuana, smoke, binge drink and have sex, a study has found.
The increased and unsupervised exposure to risk-taking behaviour shown in the media is blamed for the trend, picked up in the US study by the University of California and published in medical journal Australian Doctor.
The reduced interaction with parents caused when some used the TV as a `baby-sitter' was also found to have contributed.
The survey of more than 1000 adolescents between 12 and 16 years of age revealed half had a TV in their bedroom and watched more hours of TV than those without.
Parents of teenagers with a television in their bedroom were also less likely to know how, where and with whom they spent after-school hours.
Child and Youth Health Youth Help Line and Parent Help Line manager Bernice Gray agreed with researchers that teenagers were more vulnerable to adopting similar behaviour when they had direct access to a television.
She said while all family members need their own space to relax, too much unsupervised television can lead to young people taking part in risky behaviour.
"Often a parent may not be comfortable talking about sexual activity or smoking and it is important for parents to get that conversation going and encourage young people to express their thoughts and concerns," she said.
"It depends on how often they watch private TV and it is a timely reminder for parents, not to monitor what they are watching, but keep a watching brief and ask questions and be involved."
She suggested parents keep an evening free for the whole family to spend time together to talk about issues or just catch up with everyone else's lives.
Hayley Bell, 20, of Surrey Downs in Adeliade, had a TV in her bedroom all through high school and said she does not believe it affected her behaviour.
"I probably watched more TV in the family room with the family than in my room," she said.
"We are a pretty close family and generally had all our meals together, so we interacted with each other in that way and have kept that up."
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By Cara Jenkin, The Advertiser (AU)
March 28, 2005
TEENAGERS who have a television in their bedroom are more likely to use marijuana, smoke, binge drink and have sex, a study has found.
The increased and unsupervised exposure to risk-taking behaviour shown in the media is blamed for the trend, picked up in the US study by the University of California and published in medical journal Australian Doctor.
The reduced interaction with parents caused when some used the TV as a `baby-sitter' was also found to have contributed.
The survey of more than 1000 adolescents between 12 and 16 years of age revealed half had a TV in their bedroom and watched more hours of TV than those without.
Parents of teenagers with a television in their bedroom were also less likely to know how, where and with whom they spent after-school hours.
Child and Youth Health Youth Help Line and Parent Help Line manager Bernice Gray agreed with researchers that teenagers were more vulnerable to adopting similar behaviour when they had direct access to a television.
She said while all family members need their own space to relax, too much unsupervised television can lead to young people taking part in risky behaviour.
"Often a parent may not be comfortable talking about sexual activity or smoking and it is important for parents to get that conversation going and encourage young people to express their thoughts and concerns," she said.
"It depends on how often they watch private TV and it is a timely reminder for parents, not to monitor what they are watching, but keep a watching brief and ask questions and be involved."
She suggested parents keep an evening free for the whole family to spend time together to talk about issues or just catch up with everyone else's lives.
Hayley Bell, 20, of Surrey Downs in Adeliade, had a TV in her bedroom all through high school and said she does not believe it affected her behaviour.
"I probably watched more TV in the family room with the family than in my room," she said.
"We are a pretty close family and generally had all our meals together, so we interacted with each other in that way and have kept that up."
Link
