CARTOONS KILL: casualties in animated recreational theater in an objective observational new study of kids' introduction to loss of life.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To assess the risk of on-screen death of important characters in children's animated films versus dramatic films for adults.

Design

Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with Cox regression comparing time to first on-screen death.

Setting

Authors' television screens, with and without popcorn.

Participants

Important characters in 45 top grossing children's animated films and a comparison group of 90 top grossing dramatic films for adults.

Main outcome measures

Time to first on-screen death.

Results

Important characters in children's animated films were at an increased risk of death compared with characters in dramatic films for adults (hazard ratio 2.52, 95% confidence interval 1.30 to 4.90). Risk of on-screen murder of important characters was

SUBMITTER: Colman I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4268542 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature