Center on Media and Child Health

Recently Added Studies to the CMCH Database of Research

Take a look at some of the studies we recently added to the CMCH Database of Research.

Goldsmith, A.Y., et al. (2012). The cover story: What the book jacket of Adele Michin's young adult novel. The Beat Goes On, communicates about HIV/AIDS. The Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults.

• This study analyzed a book cover to determine whether cover art communicates subject matter.

Nan, X., et al. (2012). HPV vaccine information in the Blogosphere: How positive and negative blogs influence Vaccine-related risk perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Health Communication  27(8), 829-836.

• This study looked at college students and their attitudes toward the HPV vaccine by exposing them to positive- or negative-perspective blogs about the vaccine.

Roman, Z., et al. (2012). The Brand and the Bold: Synergy and sidekicks in licensed-based children’s television. Global Media Journal, 12(20), 1-15.

• This study analyzed the gender and commercialism in Batman's sidekicks in a children's television show.

Looking for research on other topics? Search the rest of the database for more studies.

Connections in News, Media, and Research: National Library Week

April 14-20 is National Library Week. It's a time to promote a love of reading in your family, talk to your lawmakers about supporting library services, and visit your local library to see how else they support child and adolescent development beyond books. Incidentally, April 16 is National Library Day, and all of April is also School Library Month. Is that enough reasons to make sure your library card isn't expired? Here is some research, news, and resources relating to libraries and child health.

• The American Library Association is the head organization that advocates for library services all over the United States. For those working with children, the Association of Library Service to Children is well worth looking at, and those who specialize in adolescent medicine or otherwise work with teens would do well to get to know the Young Adult Library Services Association, both divisions of the ALA.
• Want to know exactly what libraries do for children, teens, and families? Take a look at Add It Up.
• The Mediatrician has answered many parent questions about reading levels, e-readers, and more. Take a look.
• This 2010 case study looked at how bibliotherapy was an effective treatment for a hospitalized 2-year-old. And remember, stories don't just have to be read - this study found that audiobooks are a great way to help children with dyslexia.
• Want to get a little meta with media? Here's  a look at 16 favorite movie moments of real and imagined libraries.
• Remember, "library" doesn't just mean "Carnegie building with novels." There are special libraries, legal libraries, cultural archives, and, of course, medical libraries. For a look at the best of the best (when you're looking beyond the media focus of our own library, that is), check out the National Library of Medicine and the Public Library of Science. Remember, when looking for resources, the local public library you think of as a beautiful old building with tons of stacks likely also offers you free access to expensive resources where you can keep abreast of all of the latest research in any field.
• This 2008 study looked at the reading behaviors of 15-year-olds and found that gender plays a role.
• If you are interested in knowing the newest data and information about young Americans and their reading and library habits, definitely bookmark the Pew Internet Libraries page.
• Above all, public libraries are civic institutions that promote community and self-edification. And that doesn't mean having to set foot in them physically. Most libraries today have strong online presences, from websites to Pinterest accounts to Twitter accounts, offering expanded services, up-to-the-minute news on new collections, closures, and special events, and more. Why is that important for children and teens? Consider that teens who use media in civic ways (reading the news, signing petitions, etc) are also more likely to be involved in their communities (says a 2010 study), and teens who are exposed to news media are more likely to be civically engaged (from a 2009 study).

How are you observing National Library Week? Let us know!

CMCH Researchers Publish New Study in Pediatrics

CMCH authors published an article in the April 8 online edition of Pediatrics. Led by David Bickham, PhD, and CMCH Director Michael Rich, MD, MPH, our researchers looked at screen media usage in 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds by having the teens keep 24-hour time-use diaries and report at random moments throughout their day what activities were capturing their primary, secondary, and tertiary attention.

The study found that paying primary attention to TV was associated with a higher Body Mass Index, but this relationship was not the same for playing video games or using computers.

What does this research suggest? First, not all media are the same. It is important not to lump all screen-based activities together and assume they all have the same health outcomes. The results of this study should also encourage researchers and parents to think about not just how long young people are watching TV but how they use it. The researchers explain their results using our current understanding of how TV might impact obesity. Attention to food advertising or mindless eating during TV might account for these findings.

The article is forthcoming in the May print edition of Pediatrics. You can take a look at the article abstract online by clicking here. Or take a look at some of the press we've received here. You'll see the article listed in our Database of Research soon!

Recently Added Studies on Children, Media, and Health

Take a look at some of the latest studies added to the CMCH Database!

Bleakley, A., et al. (2008). It works both ways: The relationship between exposure to sexual content in the media and adolescent sexual behavior. Media Psychology, 11(4), 443-461.

• Adolescents who are sexually active are more likely to look at media with sexual content, say the researchers.

Christison, A., & Khan, H.A. (2012). Exergaming for health: A community-based pediatric weight management program using active video gaming. Clinical Pediatrics, 51(4), 382-388.

• Community-based programs to target obesity, especially one that includes an exergame, could be effective in reducing overweight, this study says.

Lapierre, M., et al. (2011). Influence of licensed spokescharacters and health cues on children's ratings of cereal taste. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 165(3), 229-234.

• Characters can influence children's taste or distaste for breakfast cereal, whether or not the cereal is labeled as healthy or sugary, says this study.

Vandenbosch, L., & Eggermont, S. (2012). Understanding sexual objectification: A comprehensive approach toward media exposure and girls' internalization of beauty ideals, self-objectification, and body surveillance. Journal of Communication, 62(5), 869-887.

• When it comes to most forms of media, the amount consumed relates to the internalization of beauty ideals for girls, researchers determined.

As always, if you're looking for more research on children, media, and health, take a look at the CMCH Database of Research.

Connections in News, Media, and Research: Women's History Month

March is celebrated as Women's History Month. Before the end of the month, we wanted to share with you some interesting research, news, and media relating to women's health, gender stereotypes, and more.

• March is also Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and often these two issues go hand in hand. Take a look at this analysis of dating in Twilight, this 2011 study on how viewing media depictions of violence influences aggression, and an article on how teen girls' magazines frame stories of dating violence around the female victims.
• This report from Hollywood.com looks at how few women directors there are in Hollywood, and how many fewer get recognized. Did you know only four women have ever been nominated for a Best Director Oscar, and only one (Kathryn Bigelow, 2009, The Hurt Locker) has ever won?
• A recent panel at SXSW discussed the propensity of woman-owned media outlets that call Millennial and older women "girls" and wax poetic about kittens and cupcakes. Is it demeaning to women? A reclaiming of a term and new definition? How do you think this might influence today's young girls and teens as they grow into adults?
• Looking for some age-appropriate reading for your whole family to do? Check out Kidlit Celebrates Women's History Month for book suggestions and literature discussion.
• Are you caught up on CMCH's other blog, Ask the Mediatrician? Check out some of the past posts that have dealt with gender: talking to girls about media and body image, marketing pink toys to girls, slut lists, and more.
• Take a look at feminist scholar and critic Anita Sarkeesian's video (and transcripts) series "Tropes vs. Women," which unpacks stereotypical female characters in movies, television, and video games.
• By the way, if you think it's only parents who notice that toy marketing is especially gendered, take a look at this little girl schooling her father on gender double standards.

How did you observe Women's History Month this year?

Recently Added Studies on Children, Media, and Health

Here are some studies that were recently added to the CMCH Database of Research.

Forsyth, Susan R. & Malone, Ruth E. (2010). "I'll be your cigarette--light me up and get on with it": Examining smoking imagery on YouTube. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 12(8), 810-816.

• This content analysis of videos on YouTube found that youth are exposed to many videos that present smoking in a positive light.

Hebden, Lana, et al. (2011). Art of persuasion: An analysis of techniques used to market foods to children. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 47(11), 776-782.

• The researchers analyzed commercials for unhealthy foods and looked at how these ads are visually appealing. The ads often stressed imagination and fun as associated with their products.

Messias, Erick, et al. (2011). Sadness, suicide, and their association with video game and Internet overuse among teens: Results from the youth risk behavior survey 2007 and 2009. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 41(3), 307-315.

• The researchers found that youth who played video games for long periods of time (5 or more hours per day) were more likely to exhibit depressive symptoms like suicidal ideation.

Ram, Diana, et al. (2010). Audiovisual video eyeglass distraction during dental treatment in children. Quintessance International, 41(8), 673-679.

• In this study, researchers compared children who received sedation before dental procedures with those who were distracted by audiovisual media. They found that the children who had watched the movie were better behaved during the procedure.

Looking for more research on children, media, and health issues? Take a look in the CMCH Database of Research.

Connections in News, Media, and Research: Teen Tech Week Edition

March 10-16 we celebrate Teen Tech Week, an initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association. Read more about Teen Tech Week here, and keep reading to learn about some research, news, and cool resources for encouraging digital literacy and creativity.

• Tweeting about Teen Tech Week to share your tips or ask some questions? Use the hashtag #ttw13.
• This virtual "quilt" of links will take you to some great websites that will help your teens learn how to code, create their own comics, or publish their writing.
• Media and technology can be powerful educational tools. Consider this study on how teens use technology to communicate about schoolwork, this study on how a video game encouraged tweens to change their diets for the better, and this study on how combining a traditional lecture with an educational game led to increased understanding of school subject matter.
• Want to celebrate Teen Tech Week with younger children? Check out the Association for Library Service to Children's Great Websites for Kids page or the Best Websites for Teaching and Learning page from the American Association of School Librarians.
• The key to all media and technology is positive use, which includes moderation. Take a look at this illuminating article on emotional intelligence and Instagram.
• How much do you know about Internet security? Test yourself by trying out How Secure Is My Password.
• Teens with technology skills and a global outlook should consider entering this contest sponsored by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the International Organization of Migration. By creating a video about global themes and social justice, winners can make an impact, learn some skills, and win a free trip to New York.
• Gamers can take their expertise and apply it to building an entirely new game on this website.
• The Video Intervention/Prevention Assessment, or VIA, is a CMCH project that puts cameras into the hands of young people living with chronic disease. Their video diaries not only allow them to express themselves, but they also inform doctors of what it's really like to live with certain conditions. Learn more about the study results and outcomes here and here.

What are you doing to celebrate Teen Tech Week?

Connections in News, Media, and Research: Eating Disorders Awareness Week

From February 24 to March 2, we observe Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Here is some news, research, and media on the subject.

• National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is sponsored by the National Eating Disorders Association. You can learn about them here.
• Have you heard of "pro-ana" websites? User-generated and maintained web communities, pro-anorexia sites offer encouragement and tips for those suffering from eating disorders to continue their habits. Check out a 2007 study on functions of such websites and a 2006 study that looked at which adolescents use these sites.
• "Recovery is absolutely possible, and with a supportive, loving family member like you on her side, the light at the end of the tunnel shines a little brighter," says an advice columnist to a girl worried that her sister has an eating disorder. Older girls give advice to younger girls on weight, body image, eating, and more on teen e-mag Rookie. 
• Consider taking a look at teen and children's fiction about eating disorders and body image for some new perspectives on the issue. For contemporary takes, recent titles include Butter by Erin Jade Lange (YA), Skinny by Donna Cooner (YA), and Perfect by Natasha Friend (middle grade). Some classic titles include Judy Blume's Blubber (middle grade), Fat Camp Commandoes by Daniel Pinkwater (middle grade), and Life in the Fat Lane (YA) by Cherie Bennett. You can also take a look at the Young Adult Library Services Association's blog post in honor of this week.
• Research in 2006 pointed to media literacy interventions as having a great positive effect on college-aged women's body image and eating disorder risk.
• Often people point to the images of women in the media as a huge contributor to eating disorders and body dissatisfaction. A 2006 study found that girls who were more interested in fashion images had higher body dissatisfaction than those interested in fitness images, while a 2003 study considered what these images of females say to boys and what they say to girls.
• Based on the comments on YouTube, R&B trio TLC's music video for "Unpretty" still hits a nerve with its honest lyrics about body and self image. 
• A literary magazine consisting completely of teen work since 1989, Teen Ink has published personal narratives of teens who have experienced eating disorders, including this essay on beating it.

Do you have resources or stories to share in honor of Eating Disorder Awareness Week? Let us know.

Recently Added Studies on Children, Media, and Health

Here are some studies that were recently added to the CMCH Database of Research.

Behm-Morawitz, E., & Mastro, D.E. (2008). Mean girls? The influence of gender portrayals in teen movies on emerging adults' gender-based attitudes and beliefs. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 85(1), 131-146.

• This study found that teen movies imply a sense of normality to aggressive female friendships.

Coyne, S.M., et al. (2011). Media depictions of physical and relational aggression: Connections with aggression in young adults' romantic relationships. Aggressive Behavior, 37(1), 56-62.

• Researchers asked college students about their television viewing preferences and looked for connections between the shows they watched and their dating experiences.

Sloane, K., et al. (2012). A content analysis of the portrayal of alcohol in televised music videos in New Zealand: Changes over time. Drug and Alcohol Review, 32(1), 47-52.

• Researchers analyzed the presence of alcohol imagery and messages in music videos and determined that only 4% portrayed alcohol in a negative light.

Wang, H., et al. (2011). Problematic Internet use in high school students in Guangdong province, China. PLoS One, 6(5), e19660.

• Researchers in this study attempted to identify which lifestyle and relationship factors led to problematic Internet use in adolescents.

Looking for more research? Take a look in the CMCH Database of Research.

Connections in News, Media, and Research: World Cancer Day Edition

In observance of World Cancer Day, February 4, we have gathered together some interesting studies, news, and media that have to do with child health and cancer.

• A 2012 study looked at how young adult cancer survivors used a video-sharing program to cope and share experiences and found that teens were more likely to use it if they did not have similar outlets in their offline lives.
• Bestselling YA author John Green's latest novel, The Fault in Our Stars, is about teens dealing with friends, family, and crushes, just like anyone else. But they also have cancer. And Green is not the only author providing real life teens with fictional counterparts to stand in for themselves, their friends, or their family; other recent novels for and about teens with cancer include Tiffany Schmidt's Send Me A Sign, Sarah Wylie's All These Lives, Janet Gurtler's I'm Not Her, and Francisco X. Stork's The Last Summer of the Death Warriors. These novels might be useful for bibliotherapy, book clubs, or family reading.
• Researchers in Israel investigated the proposed link between cell phone usage and cancer. They found that there was a statistically significant decrease in low-grade gliomas over the past 30 years.
• It is now well documented that many things in the environment lead to increased cancer risk. This new report from the EPA looks at contaminants, biomonitoring, and health outcomes.
• In 2010, researchers looked at whether adolescent cancer patients would learn more about their health from a CD-ROM than a traditional book. They found that there was some more adherence to guidelines and treatments when patients used this method.
• What do you get when you cross mommy blogs, childhood cancer, and country-popstar Taylor Swift? In this case, a heartwarming story about a song Swift wrote in honor of a mother who lost her child to cancer. Swift also donated proceeds of the song sales to various cancer charities.
• If bibliotherapy is not for you, consider music therapy. Take a look at this 2002 study that looked at the effects of interactive music therapy on child cancer patients.

Do you have any resources or links to share that might help patients, families, or doctors dealing with family members with cancer?