Longitudinal study of parental movie restriction on teen smoking and drinking in Germany

Abstract

Aims: To determine if adolescents who report that their parents restrict viewing movies based on rating have a lower risk of trying smoking and drinking alcohol in the future.

Design: Prospective observational study. A cohort of 2110 German adolescents younger than 15 years who had never smoked or drunk alcohol at baseline were surveyed 12-13 months later to determine smoking and binge drinking initiation. Risk of substance use was assessed as a function of parental restriction on viewing FSK-16 movies (movies that only those aged 16 years and over would be allowed to see in theaters).

Findings: The percentage of students who tried smoking was 16.3%, 10.9% initiated binge drinking and 5.0% used both substances during the follow-up period. There was a significant effect of parental movie restriction on each substance use outcome measure after controlling for covariates. Compared with adolescents whose parents never allowed them to view FSK-16 movies, the adjusted relative risk [(RR) (95% confidence interval (CI)] for use of both substances were 1.64 (1.05-2.58) for adolescents allowed to view them once in a while, 2.30 (1.53-3.45) for sometimes and 2.92 (1.83-4.67) for all the time. FSK-16 restrictions were associated with lower viewership of all classes of movies, but especially FSK-16/18 movies; in addition, FSK-16 restrictions were associated with substantially lower exposure to movie depiction of tobacco and alcohol use, suggesting a mediational mechanism for the association.

Conclusions: Among young adolescents, parental restriction from viewing movies rated for older adolescents/adults decreases the risk of substance use in the future.

Figure 1

Path model of the relation between FSK-16 restriction and covariates on substance use initiation. All values are standardized estimates. Only significant (P < 0.05) paths are drawn. Correlations between exogenous variables were included in the model but excluded from the figure for graphical simplicity. Standardized indirect effect of FSK-16 restriction on initiation =−0.301 × 0.122 =−0.037 (P < 0.001). FSK: Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft (Voluntary Self-Control of the Film Business); SES: socio-economic status