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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05257837

Follow-up Gun Study: Can Safety Videos Mitigate Interest in Guns in Children?

The investigators' previous research has shown that children exposed to media characters with guns in movies and video games are more likely to use real guns themselves (e.g., touch them, hold them, pull the trigger). This research tests whether exposure to a gun safety video a week before the study can help counteract dangerous behavior around guns.

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Key information

Conditions

Psychology, Social Adolescent Behavior Behavior

Age range

8 year–12 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio, 43201, United States

About this study

Guns are prominent in movies that target children. An analysis of top selling films found that the depiction of guns in violent scenes in PG-13 films that target youth has increased from the level of G and PG files in 1985 when the rating was introduced, to the level of R films by 2005, to exceed the level of R films since 2012, a trend that has continued.

Research in the investigator's lab has shown that children are more likely to use guns (e.g., handle them, pull the trigger) after exposure to movie characters who use guns. The investigators replicated this study using video games, and also found that children who had taken a gun safety course were less likely to engage in dangerous behavior around firearms. However, it is difficult to draw causal inferences about the gun safety course because children were not randomly assigned to take or not take a gun safety course.

The present research will aim to reduce dangerous behavior around firearms by first exposing participants to a gun safety video recorded by The Ohio State University Chief of Police. The control video is about car safety. Children will see the videos about a week before they come into the lab.

In the lab, children will be tested in pairs. They will first watch a film clip from one of two different PG rated films, either in its original form (with guns) or with the guns edited out. After exposure to the film, participants will be placed in a room with toys, including two real unloaded guns that have been modified for safety and include a trigger pull counter.

The study uses 2 (gun safety video vs. car safety video) X 2 (movie with guns vs. movie without guns) between-subjects factorial design.

The investigators predict that children will be less likely to engage in dangerous behavior around real firearms after viewing the gun safety video than those who viewed the car safety video, even if they see a movie with guns in the lab.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 8-12 yrs
  • No prior participation in the study
  • Able to schedule participation with a known peer (8-12yo).

Exclusion criteria

  • Younger than 8 yrs old
  • Older than 12 yrs old
  • Prior study participation
  • Could not schedule participation with a known peer (8-12yo)

Treatment and study plan

Gun handling behavior

Behavioral

Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger

Debriefing

Other

Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited.

Primary outcomes

  1. Behavioral: Gun Location

    Time frame: 20 minutes play session

    Trained research assistants, blind to video game condition and experimental hypotheses, will independently code the play session videos. Coders will identify whether the participants found the handguns, how long the participants held the handgun, and whether or not they pulled the trigger.

  2. Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Told Adult

    Time frame: 20 minutes play session

    If the participants found the handguns, the coders will identify whether the participants told an adult.

  3. Behavioral: Gun Location Response - Touched Gun

    Time frame: 20 minute play session

    If the participants found the handguns, the coders will identify whether the participants touched the handgun.

  4. Behavioral: Gun Holding Time

    Time frame: 20 minutes play session

    If participants handle the gun, coders will record how long the gun was held.

  5. Behavioral: Trigger Pulled

    Time frame: 20 minute play session

    When the gun was handled, this measures whether or not the participant(s) pulled the trigger.

  6. Number of Trigger Pulls

    Time frame: 20 minutes play session

    The two guns hidden in the playroom contain sensors that count how often the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. A counter on the weapon displays the number of pulls, which will be entered into a data file along with the observational data described below. Observational data will also be used to confirm trigger pull counts.

    Note: This measure includes all 216 participants who found the handguns.

  7. Gun Pointing With Trigger Pull

    Time frame: 20 minute play session

    Trained research assistants, blind to video game condition and experimental hypotheses, will independently code the play session videos. If participants pulled the trigger, were they pointing the gun at themselves or their partners?

    Calculations done using all participants who found a firearm.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Attitudes Toward Guns

    Time frame: After 20 minutes play session, 5 minute questionnaire

    Participants will complete a post-test questionnaire that collects data on the child's attitudes towards guns. Questionnaire is a 15-item attitudes towards guns survey (e.g., "I don't like being around people with guns because someone could end up getting hurt"; 0=strongly disagree to 4=strongly agree

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Ohio State University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Gun Safety Video Can Reduce Children's Unsafe Behavior Around Real Guns: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Feb 25, 2022
Registry last updated
Nov 20, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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