Citation

Kutner LA, Olson CK, Warner DE, Hertzog SM. J. Adolesc. Res. 2008; 23(1): 76-96.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0743558407310721

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Public policy efforts to restrict children's access to electronic games with violent or sexual content are often predicated on assumptions about parental concerns. As an initial step in determining whether those assumptions are accurate, the authors conduct focus groups of 21 adolescent boys and 21 of their parents or guardians to explore parents' concerns, compare parents' and children's perceptions, and see whether these are consistent with the focus of proposed legislation and other public policy efforts. Parents' primary concern is that games not interfere with their children's schoolwork, social skills, and exercise. They worry about exposure to violent content, but definitions of and opinions about what is harmful vary and may not match proposed public policies.