The story makes me think that this study reveals an opportunity for evangelism, namely around NFP. What do you think?This paper explores how specific media images affect adolescent attitudes and outcomes. The specific context examined is the widely viewed MTV franchise, 16 and Pregnant, a series of reality TV shows including the Teen Mom sequels, which follow the lives of pregnant teenagers during the end of their pregnancy and early days of motherhood. We investigate whether the show influenced teens’ interest in contraceptive use or abortion , and whether it ultimately altered teen childbearing outcomes. We use data from Google Trends and Twitter to document changes in searches and tweets resulting from the show, Nielsen ratings data to capture geographic variation in viewership, and Vital Statistics birth data to measure changes in teen birth rates. We find that 16 and Pregnant led to more searches and tweets regarding birth control and abortion, and ultimately led to a 5.7 percent reduction in teen births in the 18 months following its introduction. This accounts for around one-third of the overall decline in teen births in the United States during that period.
I have a hard time believing one TV show has such a huge effect, though I do presume it, along with other presentations of the realities of teen motherhood contributed to the decline.The story makes me think that this study reveals an opportunity for evangelism, namely around NFP. What do you think?
True. We really don’t need to give more incentive to sex outside of marriage. It has already driven society to the brink of destruction. Our duty is to teach them the value of continence. Not just because of the possible outcomes, but because of the moral implications, too. So, NFP for teens is out of the question. And besides, NFP isn’t a way of cheating procreation. It is not a ticket to free sex, even in marriage.I have a hard time believing one TV show has such a huge effect, though I do presume it, along with other presentations of the realities of teen motherhood contributed to the decline.
If a show was engaging enough I don’t see it couldn’t make it. But are you sure NFP is appropriate for teens? By that I mean you’d be pushing abstinence til marriage in which case NFP is a moot point outside of teen learning her patterns.
My point in general was that the seeing the consequences of teen pregnancy seem to motivate people to change their sexual behavior. NFP is a way to change sexual behavior.I have a hard time believing one TV show has such a huge effect, though I do presume it, along with other presentations of the realities of teen motherhood contributed to the decline.
If a show was engaging enough I don’t see it couldn’t make it. But are you sure NFP is appropriate for teens? By that I mean you’d be pushing abstinence til marriage in which case NFP is a moot point outside of teen learning her patterns.