Summary article A peer group mediation model
•Popular music plays a central role in the life experience of American adolescents.
•Content analyses have documented extensive references to substance use in such music. Several
cross-sectional surveys have associated use of various genres of popular music with increased alcohol
and illegal drug use.
•The authors argue that the influence of popular music and music-related media on adolescents’
substance-use initiation can be identified prospectively and is mediated by socialization into peer
groups that are oriented to substance use and likely to lead to substance-use initiation.
•In the present study, they use a prospective research design.
Popular music, adolescent socialization, and substance use.
•Listening to popular music, alone or with friends, is one of the most ubiquitous activities of
American adolescents.
Content of popular music, music videos, and other MTV content related to substance use.
•Lyrics, situations and images consonant with marijuana, alcohol, and cigarette use are frequently
found on music video channels and in popular music as a whole.
•Substance-use consistent images and music are also widely available on the internet, although
systematic research on such content is in its infancy.
Evidence for effects of popular music and music videos on adolescent substance use.
•It is possible that influence of such viewing on substance use may be primarily a function of the
dramatized visuals and not of exposure to music. However, recent lines of research have associated
self-reported use of various genres of music preferences with increased use of both legal and illegal
drugs.
Mechanisms for the influence of music and music-related media on adolescent substance use: and
adolescent socialization perspective
•Socialization explanations suggest that effects of popular media content may result not only
through modelling of behaviours, but also through acquisition of new norms and attitudes
consistent with those of substance-using peers.
•The reinforcing spirals model focuses on the dynamic role of media in socialization, arguing that
adolescents use media to develop and reinforce their evolving social identities.
Hypothesis
•Exposure to music-related media content will prospectively predict association with substance-
using peers and initiating use of cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana among younger adolescents.
•Significant indirect paths will be found linking exposure to music-related media content to
cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana initiation through the prospective effects of such media exposure
on involvement with substance-using peers.
•RQ: To what extent are relations between exposure to music-related media content and substance-
using initiation attenuated by inclusion of association with substance-using peers as a mediator?
Discussion
•The findings support the hypothesized direct prospective effects of music-related media exposure
on associating with substance-using peers, alcohol, and cigarette uptake. It was not found for
marijuana initiation. As predicted, significant indirect effects of music-related media exposure on
initiation of all three substances via association with substance-using peers were found.
•Direct effects of music-related media exposure on substance use are consistent with both
socialization explanations and social cognitive explanations.
•The mediating paths supported here are consistent with the reinforcing spirals model: media
•Popular music plays a central role in the life experience of American adolescents.
•Content analyses have documented extensive references to substance use in such music. Several
cross-sectional surveys have associated use of various genres of popular music with increased alcohol
and illegal drug use.
•The authors argue that the influence of popular music and music-related media on adolescents’
substance-use initiation can be identified prospectively and is mediated by socialization into peer
groups that are oriented to substance use and likely to lead to substance-use initiation.
•In the present study, they use a prospective research design.
Popular music, adolescent socialization, and substance use.
•Listening to popular music, alone or with friends, is one of the most ubiquitous activities of
American adolescents.
Content of popular music, music videos, and other MTV content related to substance use.
•Lyrics, situations and images consonant with marijuana, alcohol, and cigarette use are frequently
found on music video channels and in popular music as a whole.
•Substance-use consistent images and music are also widely available on the internet, although
systematic research on such content is in its infancy.
Evidence for effects of popular music and music videos on adolescent substance use.
•It is possible that influence of such viewing on substance use may be primarily a function of the
dramatized visuals and not of exposure to music. However, recent lines of research have associated
self-reported use of various genres of music preferences with increased use of both legal and illegal
drugs.
Mechanisms for the influence of music and music-related media on adolescent substance use: and
adolescent socialization perspective
•Socialization explanations suggest that effects of popular media content may result not only
through modelling of behaviours, but also through acquisition of new norms and attitudes
consistent with those of substance-using peers.
•The reinforcing spirals model focuses on the dynamic role of media in socialization, arguing that
adolescents use media to develop and reinforce their evolving social identities.
Hypothesis
•Exposure to music-related media content will prospectively predict association with substance-
using peers and initiating use of cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana among younger adolescents.
•Significant indirect paths will be found linking exposure to music-related media content to
cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana initiation through the prospective effects of such media exposure
on involvement with substance-using peers.
•RQ: To what extent are relations between exposure to music-related media content and substance-
using initiation attenuated by inclusion of association with substance-using peers as a mediator?
Discussion
•The findings support the hypothesized direct prospective effects of music-related media exposure
on associating with substance-using peers, alcohol, and cigarette uptake. It was not found for
marijuana initiation. As predicted, significant indirect effects of music-related media exposure on
initiation of all three substances via association with substance-using peers were found.
•Direct effects of music-related media exposure on substance use are consistent with both
socialization explanations and social cognitive explanations.
•The mediating paths supported here are consistent with the reinforcing spirals model: media
