Media Literacy and Health Promotion for Adolescents

Abstract

The mass media rank among the most important socialization agents influencing the health behaviors of today’s youth, with some researchers estimating that youth spend 33-50% of their waking hours with some form of media (Strasburger and Wilson 2002). The impact of the media on health and the large amount of time adolescents spend with media make it critical to address related health concerns, especially because adolescents’ developing brains are not adequately equipped to critically analyze and interpret the large number of mixed messages about health that they receive from the media. This essay examines the young field of health-promoting media literacy education research among youth, including theoretical foundations, issues of pedagogical approach and measurement, and recommendations for advancing the field in the next ten years.