THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEAVY-METAL AND RAP MUSIC AND ADOLESCENT TURMOIL - REAL OR ARTIFACT

Adolescents and their parents were surveyed to investigate the associa tion between heavy metal and rap music and adolescent psychosocial tur moil. Subjects were asked about current and past psychosocial function ing, as well as their music preferences. Adolescents who preferred hea vy metal and rap music were compared with those who preferred other ty pes of music. Results indicated that adolescents who preferred heavy m etal and rap had a higher incidence of below-average school grades, sc hool behavior problems, sexual activity, drug and alcohol use, and arr ests. However, when gender was controlled, only below-average current and elementary school grades and a history of counseling in elementary school for school problems remained significant. Implications of thes e findings are discussed.