Citation

Ellithorpe ME, Bleakley A, Hennessy M, Weitz I, Jamieson P, Khurana A. J. Health Commun. 2017; 22(6): 451-458.

Affiliation

Counseling Psychology and Human Services , University of Oregon , Eugene , Oregon , USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10810730.2017.1290165

PMID

28481166

Abstract

Adolescent exposure to risk in film has been associated with behavior. We coded Black and White character involvement in sex, violence, alcohol use, and tobacco use, and combinations of those behaviors in popular mainstream and Black-oriented films (film n = 63, character n = 426). Health risk portrayals were common, with the majority of characters portraying at least one. Black characters were more likely than Whites to portray sex and alcohol use, while White characters were more likely to portray violence. Within-segment combinations of sex and alcohol were more prevalent for Black characters, while violence and alcohol were more prevalent for Whites. Throughout a film, Black characters were more likely than White characters to portray sex and alcohol, sex and tobacco, and alcohol and tobacco. Risky behaviors are prevalent, but types portrayed differ between Black and White characters. This may have implications for health disparities in Black and White adolescents.

Language: en