Sexy Movies Sway Teens to Have Sex Earlier ??

The amount of sex kids see in movies could influence their sexual behavior later in life, a new study says.
In the study, young teens who watched movies with more sexual content tended to become sexually active at an earlier age, and engaged in riskier sexual behaviors, compared with those who watched movies with less sexual content.
Teens who reported watching movies with more sexual content started having sex at younger ages, had more sexual partners, and were less likely to use condoms with casual sex partners, the study found.
The results held when the researchers took into account factors that could effect when a person becomes sexually active, including their socioeconomic status, family structure and TV use.
"Few [films] showed contraceptive use or safe sexual practices," O'Hara said. "When safe sex is portrayed in films, it is often in comedies and is presented as an inconvenience or embarrassment. The motion picture industry could make an effort to show healthier, safer behaviors, just as they have reduced the amount of smoking shown in films," he said.
To minimize risky sexual behavior later in life, parents can restrict the amount of sexual content children view and educate them about the consequences of sexual behavior that are often left out of films, O'Hara said.
The study will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science. O’Hara conducted this research while at Dartmouth College.
Pass it on:  Young teens who watch movies with more sexual content tend to become sexually active at an earlier age.