Drugs and Alcohol Themes in Recent Feature Films: A Content Analysis

Children and adolescents are increasingly exposed to various types of media. The power of film to shape attitudes and behaviors has been widely accepted in a number of different contexts. The goal of this study was to analyze the representation of illicit drugs and alcohol in movies recently released in the United States and available to an under-18 audience. A research team reviewed the content of all available G, PG, PG-13, and R-rated feature films released in the United States in April 2016. A standardized coding instrument was developed. It focused on the following parameters: nature of the substance, its implicit or explicit depiction, setting of use, characteristics of the user (age, gender, and role in movie), motivations behind use, and consequences of use. A descriptive evaluation of the variables and Fisher’s exact analysis of covariates and scene outcomes were carried at the bivariate level. Five out of thirty-three movies did not depict any substance use. Most scenes involved explicit alcohol use, usually by a male adult who was a secondary character. Comedy and action movies were more likely to display rewarding consequences for substance use. Scenes with social and sexual motivations for use were significantly more likely to have rewarding outcomes. Recent Hollywood movie productions accessible to under-18 audiences are likely to contain scenes with psychoactive substance use. More research is needed to understand the association between exposure to substance use through film and the shaping of relevant attitudes and behaviors in young audiences.