Media Release - Harry Potter not for the littlies warns psychologist

8 June 2004

Many parents were mistakenly taking young children to the new Harry Potter film, not realising that it could lead to distress and emotional damage, well known psychologist Steve Biddulph warned today.

Biddulph reported that “Early screenings have visibly upset younger children, especially the under 8s. These children could be heard calling out above the soundtrack and seeking reassurance from parents during the powerful scenes of werewolves, Dementors, and monsters and children fighting. Many parents seemed unaware of the film’s rating, or that it just isn’t small children’s holiday fare.”

Biddulph explained that “The film’s heroes, Harry and his friends, are mid teens, and to be credible the film has to have levels of fear and horror that would impact on a fifteen year old. This meant that it had scenes that would certainly affect the mental health of a six or eight year old. It seems that many parents simply were not aware of the ratings, or were fooled by the movie’s promotion with toys and fast food tie-ins, into thinking this was kids’ stuff.”

According to Biddulph, studies have found that children are incredibly variable in their emotional sensitivity, and that boys especially pretend they are not affected but then go on to suffer behavioural problems later. Watching a film with horror themes when you only six or seven will give most children nightmares, raise levels of stress and fear about the world they live in, and contribute to aggressive behaviour and problems with attention and concentration. Sleep problems, behaviour problems, and chronic anxiety are a big price to pay for a couple of hours of entertainment.
Biddulph asserted: “Harry Potter is a good mid-teen and young adult film. Its themes are imaginative, teaches some good values, and despite a rather muddled plot, is exciting and beautiful to watch. Its just that a good teen film can also be a bad small children’s film.”

Jane Roberts, President of the Australian Council for Children and the Media, trading as Young Media Australia (YMA), welcomed Biddulph’s comments, adding: “Parents have been put in a very difficult position by the marketing and merchandising hype surrounding the movie’s release and targeting young children. We urge parents to carefully consider the movie’s content and its rating before letting their young children see this movie.

YMA’s Movie Review Service is a resource designed to help parents make informed decisions about movies, and the review of Harry Potter is now available, either via the YMA Website (www.youngmedia.org.au) or by calling the YMA Helpline (1800 700 357).”

YMA, a not-for-profit organisation, is the peak body in Australia in respect of children and the media. Its members share a strong commitment to the promotion of the healthy development of Australian children, with a particular interest in the role the media plays in that development. It is committed to promoting better choices and providing stronger voices in children’s media.

For more information or to arrange an interview,
please contact Jane Roberts (WA) on 0410 509 685
or Young Media Australia (08) 8376 2111