Does TV affect how children view sex? Research says it's up to their mom

The rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is particularly high among young adults, leading both parents and scientists to question what more they can do to encourage teens to practice safer sex. Many people have blamed the media for influencing sexual behavior, and new research suggests that the impact of TV on children depends on parental influence. 

Researchers from Belguim conducted a study to determine if maternal attachment could buffer the impact of the media on young people's sexual behavior. Interestingly, they found that girls with a strong relationship with their mother are more likely to disregard what they see on TV, but the opposite was true of boys.

"[Our research] suggests that the influence of attachment to the mother on associations between television viewing and sexual attitudes appears to be risk-increasing for boys and risk-decreasing for girls," conclude study authors.

Scientists found that boys who are close to their mothers tended to have more stereotypical sexual views, aligning with what they saw on TV. These findings could change the way parents approach the subject of STDs and sexual behavior with their children.