| Abstract: |
Objective: To determine the type of content found in video games rated T for Teen and to compare it to the content described on the game packaging by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board).
Design: Content analysis of video games rated T for Teen by the ESRB, played for 1 hour by an undergraduate student.
Subjects and Setting: 81 video games rated T for Teen randomly sampled from a total possible 396 games available 4/1/2001 in the United States to play on Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, Sony PlayStation and/or Sony PlayStation 2.
Interventions: N/A
Outcome Measures: Whether or not the following were observed in one hour of game play: violence, blood, sexual themes (including type of sexual content and sex of characters), profanity, substance use (alcohol, tobacco, drugs), gambling. Whether or not games rewarded or required the injuring or killing of characters.
Results: 98% of the games contained intentional violence (95% had ESRB content descriptors for violence). 90% rewarded or required injuring and 69% killing characters. 42% contained blood (only 27% had content descriptors). 27% contained sexual themes (20% had content descriptors). Females were significantly more likely to be partially nude or engaged in sexual behaviors than were males (p < .001 for both by two-sided binomial test). 27% contained profanity (17% had content descriptors). 15% contained substance use (1% had content descriptors). 1% contained gambling (none had content descriptors). 48% contained content that called for an ESRB content descriptor, but did not have one. 9% of the games had an ESRB content descriptor for content not observed in one hour of game play.
Conclusions: Parents and physicians should be aware that a lack of an ESRB content descriptor for a specific type of content in video games rated T for Teen does not guarantee the absence of that content. © Center on Media and Child Health |
