SEX AND THE SOAPS - A COMPARATIVE CONTENT-ANALYSIS OF HEALTH ISSUES

A sample of 105 hours of network daytime soap opera programming from 1 989-90 was analyzed for depictions of sexual behaviors, safe sex, and pregnancy. The content analysis indicated occurrences of sexual behavi ours were slightly lower than previous studies showed. A few discussio ns about safe sex (prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted disea ses, and AIDS) were found. Because these discussions of sexual health issues were not found in previous content analyses, soap opera program ming may be beginning to reflect a trend toward more responsible portr ayals of sexual behavior. Although most characters engaged in these ac tivities were Caucasian, in their thirties, and not married to each ot her, the occurrences of married partners in these depictions were incr easing.