Adolescent Behavior, Psychology, Social
Conditions
Keywords
adolescent, gun, violence, media
Brief summary
The investigators' previous research has shown that children exposed to media characters with guns in movies and video games are more likely to use real guns themselves (e.g., touch them, hold them, pull the trigger). This research tests whether exposure to a gun safety video a week before the study can help counteract dangerous behavior around guns.
Detailed description
Guns are prominent in movies that target children. An analysis of top selling films found that the depiction of guns in violent scenes in PG-13 films that target youth has increased from the level of G and PG files in 1985 when the rating was introduced, to the level of R films by 2005, to exceed the level of R films since 2012, a trend that has continued. Research in the investigator's lab has shown that children are more likely to use guns (e.g., handle them, pull the trigger) after exposure to movie characters who use guns. The investigators replicated this study using video games, and also found that children who had taken a gun safety course were less likely to engage in dangerous behavior around firearms. However, it is difficult to draw causal inferences about the gun safety course because children were not randomly assigned to take or not take a gun safety course. The present research will aim to reduce dangerous behavior around firearms by first exposing participants to a gun safety video recorded by The Ohio State University Chief of Police. The control video is about car safety. Children will see the videos about a week before they come into the lab. In the lab, children will be tested in pairs. They will first watch a film clip from one of two different PG rated films, either in its original form (with guns) or with the guns edited out. After exposure to the film, participants will be placed in a room with toys, including two real unloaded guns that have been modified for safety and include a trigger pull counter. The study uses 2 (gun safety video vs. car safety video) X 2 (movie with guns vs. movie without guns) between-subjects factorial design. The investigators predict that children will be less likely to engage in dangerous behavior around real firearms after viewing the gun safety video than those who viewed the car safety video, even if they see a movie with guns in the lab.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALGun handling behavior
Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
OTHERDebriefing
Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited.
Sponsors
Ohio State University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Participants did not know which condition they were in. Participants' parents were aware of the deception (hidden gun) and what condition their children were in (gun safety or seatbelt safety; movie with or without guns). Research personnel knew conditions as well. Research assistants who transcribed recorded laboratory sessions did not know what condition they were coding (eg. what type of movie participants watched) Research assistants coding the recorded observational data will be blind to the conditions of the participants they are coding, as well as the experimental hypotheses of the study.
Intervention model description
Participants are randomly assigned to watch a safety video about guns or a safety video about seatbelts. Participants are then randomly assigned to watch a movie containing guns, or a movie not containing guns. Outlier data will be excluded in analysis.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Age 8-12 yrs * No prior participation in the study * Able to schedule participation with a known peer (8-12yo).
Exclusion criteria
* Younger than 8 yrs old * Older than 12 yrs old * Prior study participation * Could not schedule participation with a known peer (8-12yo)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gun Pointing With Trigger Pull | 20 minute play session | Trained research assistants, blind to video game condition and experimental hypotheses, will independently code the play session videos. If participants pulled the trigger, were they pointing the gun at themselves or their partners? Calculations done using all participants who found a firearm. |
| Behavioral: Gun Location | 20 minutes play session | Trained research assistants, blind to video game condition and experimental hypotheses, will independently code the play session videos. Coders will identify whether the participants found the handguns, how long the participants held the handgun, and whether or not they pulled the trigger. |
| Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Told Adult | 20 minutes play session | If the participants found the handguns, the coders will identify whether the participants told an adult. |
| Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Touched Gun | 20 minute play session | If the participants found the handguns, the coders will identify whether the participants touched the handgun. |
| Behavioral: Gun Holding Time | 20 minutes play session | If participants handle the gun, coders will record how long the gun was held. |
| Behavioral: Trigger Pulled | 20 minute play session | When the gun was handled, this measures whether or not the participant(s) pulled the trigger. |
| Number of Trigger Pulls | 20 minutes play session | The two guns hidden in the playroom contain sensors that count how often the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. A counter on the weapon displays the number of pulls, which will be entered into a data file along with the observational data described below. Observational data will also be used to confirm trigger pull counts. Note: This measure includes all 216 participants who found the handguns. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Attitudes Toward Guns | After 20 minutes play session, 5 minute questionnaire | Participants will complete a post-test questionnaire that collects data on the child's attitudes towards guns. Questionnaire is a 15-item attitudes towards guns survey (e.g., I don't like being around people with guns because someone could end up getting hurt; 0=strongly disagree to 4=strongly agree |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Recruitment details
Participants were recruited via Facebook ads, ResearchMatch, and referrals by parents/guardians.
Pre-assignment details
Of the 245 children assessed for eligibility, 19 were excluded: 13 did not arrive at the lab; 2 filled out forms incorrectly; 2 had a defective recording; 2 did not respond to follow-up. An additional 10 participants were excluded from final analyses due to not finding the guns in the laboratory. 216 participants were included in the final analyses.
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent Participants in this condition will view a seatbelt safety video about a week before coming into the lab. In the lab, they will watch a \
20 minute clip of either The Rocketeer or National Treasure featuring guns.
Gun handling behavior: Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
Debriefing: Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited. | 50 |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present Participants in this condition will view a seatbelt safety video about a week before coming into the lab. In the lab, they will watch a \
20 minute clip of either The Rocketeer or National Treasure featuring guns.
Gun handling behavior: Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
Debriefing: Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited. | 54 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent Participants in this condition will view a gun safety video featuring The Ohio State University Chief of Police about a week before coming into the lab. In the lab, they will watch a \
20 minute clip of either The Rocketeer or National Treasure with the guns edited out.
Gun handling behavior: Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
Debriefing: Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited. | 58 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present Participants in this condition will view a gun safety video featuring The Ohio State University Chief of Police about a week before coming into the lab. In the lab, they will watch a \
20 minute clip of either The Rocketeer or National Treasure featuring guns.
Gun handling behavior: Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
Debriefing: Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited. | 54 |
| Total | 216 |
Withdrawals & dropouts
| Period | Reason | FG000 | FG001 | FG002 | FG003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Study | Excluded (did not find the guns) | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Total | Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age-appropriate movies | 0.90 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.93 | 0.59 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.9 | 1.01 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.9 | 1.15 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.9 | 0.85 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.9 |
| Age, Continuous | 9.98 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.38 | 9.4 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.2 | 10.1 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.4 | 10.5 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.3 | 10.0 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.4 |
| Estimated interest in guns | 1.68 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.3 | 1.67 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.4 | 1.69 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.3 | 1.52 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.3 | 1.86 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.2 |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Hispanic or Latino | 6 Participants | 2 Participants | 1 Participants | 1 Participants | 2 Participants |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Not Hispanic or Latino | 210 Participants | 52 Participants | 57 Participants | 53 Participants | 48 Participants |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Gun ownership Firearm present in the home | 70 Participants | 27 Participants | 15 Participants | 23 Participants | 5 Participants |
| Gun ownership No firearm present in the home | 145 Participants | 27 Participants | 42 Participants | 31 Participants | 45 Participants |
| Gun ownership No response | 1 Participants | 0 Participants | 1 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) American Indian or Alaska Native | 1 Participants | 0 Participants | 1 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Asian | 6 Participants | 0 Participants | 2 Participants | 2 Participants | 2 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Black or African American | 49 Participants | 20 Participants | 8 Participants | 19 Participants | 2 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) More than one race | 28 Participants | 5 Participants | 12 Participants | 4 Participants | 7 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported | 6 Participants | 2 Participants | 1 Participants | 1 Participants | 2 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) White | 126 Participants | 27 Participants | 34 Participants | 28 Participants | 37 Participants |
| Region of Enrollment United States | 216 participants | 54 participants | 58 participants | 54 participants | 50 participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 103 Participants | 29 Participants | 25 Participants | 29 Participants | 20 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 113 Participants | 25 Participants | 33 Participants | 25 Participants | 30 Participants |
| Trait Aggressiveness | .46 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.4 | .45 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.4 | .49 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.4 | .36 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.3 | .55 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.5 |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk | EG002 affected / at risk | EG003 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | 0 / 50 | 0 / 58 | 0 / 60 | 0 / 58 |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 50 | 0 / 58 | 0 / 60 | 0 / 58 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 50 | 0 / 58 | 0 / 60 | 0 / 58 |
Outcome results
Primary
Behavioral: Gun Holding Time
If participants handle the gun, coders will record how long the gun was held.
Time frame: 20 minutes play session
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Holding Time | 101.42 seconds | Standard Deviation 219.91 |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Holding Time | 100.40 seconds | Standard Deviation 174.47 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Holding Time | 53.43 seconds | Standard Deviation 143.13 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Holding Time | 31.55 seconds | Standard Deviation 95.01 |
p-value: 0.012t-test, 2 sided
Primary
Behavioral: Gun Location
Trained research assistants, blind to video game condition and experimental hypotheses, will independently code the play session videos. Coders will identify whether the participants found the handguns, how long the participants held the handgun, and whether or not they pulled the trigger.
Time frame: 20 minutes play session
| Arm | Measure | Category | Value (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Location | Didn't find guns (excluded from final analyses) | 0 Participants |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Location | Found guns | 50 Participants |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Location | Found guns | 54 Participants |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Location | Didn't find guns (excluded from final analyses) | 4 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Location | Found guns | 58 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Location | Didn't find guns (excluded from final analyses) | 2 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Location | Didn't find guns (excluded from final analyses) | 4 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Location | Found guns | 54 Participants |
Primary
Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Told Adult
If the participants found the handguns, the coders will identify whether the participants told an adult.
Time frame: 20 minutes play session
| Arm | Measure | Value (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS) |
|---|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Told Adult | 6 Participants |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Told Adult | 5 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Told Adult | 18 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Told Adult | 20 Participants |
p-value: <0.001t-test, 2 sided
Primary
Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Touched Gun
If the participants found the handguns, the coders will identify whether the participants touched the handgun.
Time frame: 20 minute play session
| Arm | Measure | Value (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS) |
|---|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Touched Gun | 37 Participants |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Touched Gun | 33 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Touched Gun | 26 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Touched Gun | 18 Participants |
p-value: <0.001t-test, 2 sided
Primary
Behavioral: Trigger Pulled
When the gun was handled, this measures whether or not the participant(s) pulled the trigger.
Time frame: 20 minute play session
| Arm | Measure | Value (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS) |
|---|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Trigger Pulled | 17 Participants |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Trigger Pulled | 14 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Behavioral: Trigger Pulled | 7 Participants |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Behavioral: Trigger Pulled | 3 Participants |
Primary
Gun Pointing With Trigger Pull
Trained research assistants, blind to video game condition and experimental hypotheses, will independently code the play session videos. If participants pulled the trigger, were they pointing the gun at themselves or their partners? Calculations done using all participants who found a firearm.
Time frame: 20 minute play session
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Gun Pointing With Trigger Pull | 2.60 Trigger pulls | Standard Deviation 12.96 |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Gun Pointing With Trigger Pull | 1.74 Trigger pulls | Standard Deviation 8.64 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Gun Pointing With Trigger Pull | 2.34 Trigger pulls | Standard Deviation 5.78 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Gun Pointing With Trigger Pull | 1.38 Trigger pulls | Standard Deviation 4.83 |
p-value: 0.745t-test, 2 sided
Primary
Number of Trigger Pulls
The two guns hidden in the playroom contain sensors that count how often the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. A counter on the weapon displays the number of pulls, which will be entered into a data file along with the observational data described below. Observational data will also be used to confirm trigger pull counts. Note: This measure includes all 216 participants who found the handguns.
Time frame: 20 minutes play session
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Number of Trigger Pulls | 7.26 Trigger pulls | Standard Deviation 14.66 |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Number of Trigger Pulls | 7.90 Trigger pulls | Standard Deviation 17.36 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Number of Trigger Pulls | 6.41 Trigger pulls | Standard Deviation 26.51 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Number of Trigger Pulls | 1.96 Trigger pulls | Standard Deviation 9.55 |
p-value: 0.217t-test, 2 sided
Secondary
Attitudes Toward Guns
Participants will complete a post-test questionnaire that collects data on the child's attitudes towards guns. Questionnaire is a 15-item attitudes towards guns survey (e.g., I don't like being around people with guns because someone could end up getting hurt; 0=strongly disagree to 4=strongly agree
Time frame: After 20 minutes play session, 5 minute questionnaire
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Attitudes Toward Guns | 2.99 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 0.6 |
| Seatbelt Safety Video x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Attitudes Toward Guns | 2.82 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 0.6 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Absent | Attitudes Toward Guns | 3.06 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 0.6 |
| Gun Safety Vid x Movie Clip - Guns Present | Attitudes Toward Guns | 3.15 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 0.6 |