Listening to sexually explicit or violent music lyrics can affect children's schoolwork, social interactions, mood and behaviour, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.

The academy released an updated policy statement Monday on the impact of sexually charged and violent music and videos on the healthy development of children and teenagers.

Surveys suggest most teens spend two hours a day listening to music, often on MP3 players with headphones, which makes it harder to keep track of what they're listening to, said Dr. Rosaria Gonzalez, a pediatrician in Puerto Rico and lead author of the position paper.

The report's authors cited research findings that children who listen to explicit and violent music lyrics and video may become more aggressive, antisocial and promiscuous.

"Definitely there's a relationship that has been demonstrated," Gonzalez said, particularly for children and teens who are vulnerable because of their social environment.

The Canadian Pediatric Society is currently revising its position on the impact of media on children on teens. In 2003, the society called the influence of the media on the psychosocial development of young people "profound" and the research "convincing."

Cause and effect questioned

But the research doesn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship, said Cathy Wing, co-executive director of the non-profit Media Awareness Network in Ottawa, which promotes media literacy.

A second policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics focused on media violence.

"Media violence is the single most negative aspect of entertainment media," said Dr. Victor Strasburger, lead author of the media violence policy statement.

Both the American and Canadian pediatric societies recommend limiting media screen time – watching TV, movies or using computers during leisure hours – to reduce the risk of obesity.

The recommended maximums in Canada are:

  • No screen time for babies.
  • One hour per day for toddlers.
  • Two hours per day for everyone else, such as 30 minutes of TV, 30 minutes of instant messaging and one hour of video gaming.

Media literacy teaches children to think critically about stereotyping in media, unhealthy lifestyles like smoking that may be portrayed, and the media industry itself.

"The problem with the evidence is that they don't know whether someone turns to that type of music because it reflects their lifestyle or whether the music is actually influencing their lifestyle," Wing said.

Wing agreed with the academy's conclusion that parents may mitigate potential negative effects by finding out what their children are exposed to, talking about it and letting the kids know about concerns.

The U.S. academy also suggested doctors should urge parents to monitor what their children are listening to and watching.

Parents could also watch for other red flags, such as if a child seems alienated from peers, is not doing well in school, or is depressed, Wing said.