Language Matters in Sex:
Sexual Content in Spanish-language and English-language
Fictional Narrative Television Programs Popular among Latino Adolescents
Abstract
Latino adolescents watch more television than White peers and are disproportionately affected
by teen births. This study catalogues sexual content prevalence in Spanish- and English-language
television programs popular among Latino adolescents. Sexual content was ubiquitous, although
sexual risk/responsibility was rare. Moreover, differences for specific subtypes of sexual content
existed between English- and Spanish-language scenes. Health interventions, therefore, should
teach Latino youth media literacy skills related to how sex is depicted in Spanish- and English-
language programs.
Introduction
The Latino population is currently the largest minority in the US (Hobbs & Stoops, 2002;
Pew Research Center, 2005). Over half of the Latino population is under 25 years of age,
approximately 40% are under age 20; and given the population’s high fertility rate, the
unprecedented growth of this population is expected to continue (Pew Research Center, 2005).
As is seen with other immigrant populations, the longer Latino immigrants reside in the
United States the more their health behaviors reflect those of the majority population (Adam,
McGuire, Walsh, Basta, & LeCroy, 2005; Ebin et al., 2001; Flores & Brotanek, 2005; Jane,
Hunter, & Lozzi, 1999; Raffaelli, Zamboanga, & Carlo, 2005; Santelli et al., 2004). This trend
reflects acculturation, the process of adapting to and negotiating two different cultures (Raffaelli
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Convention