Mon. Nov 03, 2008 | 8:19 AM

Can shows like "Gossip Girl" and "Sex and the City"make teens more likely to become a teenage parent? One study says yes.

gossip_girl.jpgA study released Monday found that teens who watch a lot of TV shows with sexual content are more than twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy. In the study, researchers surveyed about 2,000 adolescents, ranging in age from 12 to 17 nationwide, about what they watched on TV and their sexual habits during a three-year period.

Researchers found that teens who watched the most sexual content on TV were twice as likely to become pregnant or cause a pregnancy compared to the teens who watched the least amount of sexual content on TV.

But these findings have been criticized by experts who say the study didn't address important issues such as self-esteem and family values. Still, the scientist who led the study said TV producers should depict the real consequences of unprotected sex rather than glamorizing it.

You tell us: Do you think sexy TV shows really influence whether teens have sex?


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I personally always watch gossip girl and i love it,the only person that can make you do something is yourself if you are curios thats' you its just a show ,like my mama would say if you see someone jumping off the bridge would you do that 2
Posted by misty 11/05/08 12:13 AM
 
I LOVE Gossip Girl and I watch it every week!! I'm 14 and I still haven't had my first kiss watching this show doesn't make me feel preasure to have sex. I agree with Sharontina it all depends on the person and that these shows should not be used as an excuse to others behaviors.
Posted by DeeDee 11/04/08 3:35 PM
 
I LOVE Gossip Girl and I watch it every week!! I'm 14 and I still haven't had my first kiss watching this show doesn't make me feel preasure to have sex. I agree with Sharontina it all depends on the person and that these shows should not be used as an excuse to others behaviors.
Posted by DeeDee 11/04/08 3:34 PM
 
I am 15 and I love Gossip Girl and Sex and the City, and I'm a proud virgin! Most girls know that these are just TV shows, and most girls don't follow them.
Posted by Racquel 11/04/08 2:42 PM
 
okay first of all no matter what a parnet does it is still the teens choice to have sex. my mom and dad hovered over me and i still got pregnant young. how young well lets try 14. my mistake was having sex in the first place and not having enough confidence in my parents to tell them that i was thinking about having sex. everyone can sit here and debate on wether or not its the tv shows but reality is its the teens choice when they step out the door if they want to have sex or not. take this from a 14 year old mother if you want to have sex talk to your parnets it might be akward but not as heartbreaking as telling them your pregnant. I had protected sex and still got pregnant. CONDOMS ARE ONLY 85% EFFICTIVE!!!!!!! If you still think you cant talk to your parents then talk to your doctor or your school counselor. In the end its your life and its your chioce wether you have sex or not. GIrls the boys will not carry a baby for 40 weeks and will not look pregnant. you can think you have all the love in the world but it takes ALOT of strength to go through the mood swings and the body changes. once again they will not look pregnant you will so think about it and ask.
Posted by mary 11/04/08 1:18 PM
 
I dont think that tv would Make a teen have sex and become pregnant. It may depend on how that teen make think and act. I was a straight A student, hung out with the right people,didn't do drugs, and was the good girl!! I became pregnant at the age 14. It was a big a shock to me and to others. Not the good girl!! And tv didnt make me have sex I did It because i wanted to. There is a thing in your head that says "It won't happen to me, I cant get pregnant!!" And then i found out i was. I now have a 4 year old daughter and i am 20. I think teen pregnancy will happen whether it is on tv or not. It is there call whether to have sex or not. So i dont think it is right to blame tv for that. The world today shows show much so u know more at a younger age. Thanks Erica!!! Love You Tyra!!!
Posted by Erica 11/04/08 10:20 AM
 
I'm 17, Okay to tell you the truth i have been talking sex with my boyfreind, and when i watch the shows where kids my age are having sex like in Gossip girl, it makes me think, okay maybe its normal. but the n I relize that its a show and its not real life. So maybe someone who watches this show is more likley to get pregnant but dont blam it on the show,its the persons own responsiblity bcause they need to relize ITS JUST A TV SHOW!!!!!
Posted by Lemonhead 11/04/08 10:19 AM
 
I'm 17, Okay to tell you the truth i have been talking sex with my boyfreind, and when i watch the shows where kids my age are having sex like in Gossip girl, it makes me think, okay maybe its normal. but the n I relize that its a show and its not real life. So maybe someone who watches this show is more likley to get pregnant but dont blam it on the show,its the persons own responsiblity bcause they need to relize ITS JUST A TV SHOW!!!!!
Posted by Lemonhead 11/04/08 10:17 AM
 
I am a teen and i love to watch Gossip Girl and im still a virgin. I don't believe that if you watch this show you are more likely to get pregnant. I think it depends on how you live and what yo have been through. Every person is different.Yeah its true that many teenagers are getting pregnant but that all depends on tyhem we cannot blame this on a t.v. show!! This is my opinion!!
Posted by Melissa 11/04/08 9:29 AM
 
I am a teen and i love to watch Gossip Girl and im still a virgin. I don't believe that if you watch this show you are more likely to get pregnant. I think it depends on how you live and what yo have been through. Every person is different. This is my opinion!!
Posted by Melissa 11/04/08 9:28 AM
 
You say a study - but I can't find a reference to the study. Can you please cite the study you are referring to? I would like to read it.
Posted by TeddyBear 11/04/08 6:39 AM
 
I'm 15 and I love the show gossipgirl, but it dosen't influnce me at all, haha massachuettes is nothing like thier lives in NewYork! I'm really smart and I know better than pregnant teens, thats thier own decision, and if they were influnced by the show, then that shows that thier parents weren't being good parents. HAPPY ELECTION DAY TYRA!!!!
Posted by Tatiana 11/04/08 5:59 AM
 
well, i belive so...they are only teens and they'll be influnced by any thing.. the'r hormouns are changing and by that these kind of shows motivates them to be pregnint...!!
Posted by majda 11/04/08 3:04 AM
 
I honestly think that it's the character of a person. You chose whether to have sex or not. Not a televison show. I am 15 years old and I refuse to have sex before marriage. I asked my friends to have what we call a "purity promise". This is to not have sex until after high school. That means that I will have someone to help me with this promise :). But I'm still choosing to wait until marriage. Televison show's do influence teens to have sex, but in reality it was your decision. That's how I see it.
Posted by Brionna 11/03/08 10:16 PM
 
I'm 19 and just because I've watched all kinds of 'adult themed' shows and movies throughout my adolescence years.Doesn't make me want to have sex more or less than when I feel the time is right for me.Some teenagers are easily led, what parents and teachers need to concentrate on is teaching teens that its not the end of the world if your a virgin or to use contraception.
Posted by Rebecca from England 11/03/08 7:28 PM



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