Parents have another compelling reason to monitor the music their teens are consuming. A new study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh indicates teenagers who listen to sexually aggressive lyrics are twice as likely to have sexual intercourse.

“Early sexual activity on the part of teenagers leads to numerous negative consequences, such as sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancies, and psychological and emotional damage,” said Rick Schatz, president and CEO of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families. “The good news is that by helping their kids think critically about what they listen to, parents can play an important role in increasing their children’s media literacy, critical-thinking, and decision-making skills.”

In speaking with thousands of teens across the country, the National Coalition has found that most were unaware of the ways in which media impacted their attitudes about sex and consequently their behavior.

The lead researcher of the study, Dr. Brian A. Primack, said, "This study demonstrates that, among this sample of young adolescents, high exposure to lyrics describing degrading sex in popular music was independently associated with higher levels of sexual behavior.

"In fact, exposure to lyrics describing degrading sex was one of the strongest associations with sexual activity...These results provide further support for the need for additional research and educational intervention in this area."

Click here to read the press release concerning this new research. The study’s findings are scheduled to be published in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.