The Media & Teen Pregnancy
Do shows like MTV's 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom negatively influence teens' perceptions of teen pregnancy? New data say no.
| Read the press release on this new data |  |
| Fast Facts: Does the Media Glamorize Teen Pregnancy? | |
| Science Says #45: Evaluating the Impact of MTV’s 16 and Pregnant | |
Many have criticized the amount of sexual content in popular media and the influence these images and messages might have on young people’s sexual behavior. Some have even suggested that entertainment media is glamorizing teen pregnancy. Although research has documented an association between exposure to sexual content on television and teen pregnancy, little research has been conducted to better understand how media might also have positive effects. Can the media, for example, decrease risky sexual behavior and promote healthier decisions among teens? Given that teens’ use of media has increased over the past decade, and that its sexual content has also increased, it is reasonable to explore whether media might be used to help prevent teen pregnancy.
New polling and evaluation data from The National Campaign examine teens’ opinions about media and teen pregnancy in general, as well as their views about MTV’s popular 16 and Pregnant program in particular.