Production vs. Psychology: Who has the best interest for tween stars?

The media can be blamed for the path, good or bad, that a tween star takes, making it a issue of premature maturity - for the tween and their prepubescent audience.

I sat down with a marriage and family therapist, Sarah Ruggera, M.A., MFT, and MTV field producer James Lacsina to answer some questions raised by the boom in the tween industry and the possible effects it may have, positive and negative, on society.

Sarah Ruggera, M.A., MFT




James Lacsina, MTV producer

Have you met any tween stars?
Producer: I've seen Miley Cyrus on red carpets, and met Demi Lovato during an interview after she did the Jay Leno show and before her concert at the Roxy where we drove with her to the venue. I've been to a couple of “High School Musical” red carpets. We do a lot with young Hollywood.	Therapist: No, I haven't.

What are your impressions of them?

Producer: Pretty much all those tween stars we spoke to were very professional, were happy to speak with us, very articulate, very interview/camera savvy, and to the best of my judgment were very honest and candid with us. Every time we have spoken to them they have been at work/working.

Therapist: I really think tween stars are not a good thing. They are egocentric and the general population of tweens views them as role models. Young girls should be who they want to be and not model themselves after them. If they want to role model good positive things do more volunteering and help others – not being in the spotlight and profiting from their audience. These stars often times end up messed up due to their own developmental stage being stunted by the adults in their life who are profiting from them as well.

How do you think fame this early in life has affected them?
Producer: I think their fame has made them grow up faster. They have to be more guarded at times and be more professional than most kids at their age, which isn't necessarily bad. Demi seemed to have her goals set and seemed very driven, which I think is good to have at a young age.	Therapist: In negative ways. Too much attention on a person can instill self-centeredness and self-absorption. The more you do things for others the more you know about yourself. Singing and dancing for fame and fortune says allot about that person – it’s superficial.

How do you regard fame at a young age?
Producer: Fame at a young age really depends on the person. Some people can handle it and turn out fine, and some can't and get themselves in trouble a la Gary Coleman and Britney Spears.	Therapist: It stunts the developmental childhood stage because they’re not treated as normal so they don't behave normal. There is a sense of entitlement that confuses their thought process on everything they think about like how important they think they are.

How do you think it will affect them later in life – professionally, personally?

Producer: I wish the best for these young stars. Some will be typecast and not be able to transition into more adult roles, while others like Zach seem to be transitioning quite well. Their childhood and tween years are basically spent in the limelight so it may be hard to have normal relationships and privacy. People may pre-judge them based on what they hear/read on tv and the internet. Their mistakes will be magnified.

Therapist: That sense of entitlement ruins the reality of life for them. Not everyone really kisses their butts, agrees with them all the time, thinks they are all that – even with true talent. I think they will treat people poorly because they are treating them the way they are used to being treated as kids.

What do you think about these tween stars naturally targeting an older demographic as they get older but knowing that they still have younger fans looking up to them? (example: Miley’s “provocative” cover on Vanity Fair)

Producer: Some of their fans will also be growing older with them so that won't be a big problem. Before this big tween explosion kids could only look up to older stars so I don't think it's a big deal. A lot of girls in my Jr. High were crazy for Leo Dicaprio back in the “Titanic” days. Even older stars are gonna have younger fans looking up to them so I think it's the same. But you can't make everyone happy so it's tough for these tween stars to make decisions during the transition years. Anne Hathaway was a Disney Star and now she is taking her top off in movies and people aren't making that big of a deal over her.

Therapist: N/A

Is there something to be said about our society that makes children grow up too early?
Producer: I think kids these days are exposed to more adult situations at an early age, but that still doesn't make them more adult. They're still gonna make childish mistakes. The morals of this day and age are looser than in years past, and people are desensitized to a lot of things. People need to start going back to church!	Therapist: Adults using kids for the money and living out their (the adults/parents) own personal dreams living through their children – That is wrong!

Do you think consumerism has played a part in the tween market explosion?
Producer: Kids have always been a good source of disposable income. Parents will always buy their kids junk, and kids will always spend their money on things they want. Nowadays tween stars and movies are just marketed better, more products and toys are made, tween stars have their own fashion lines, etc. When I was growing up there wasn't as much stuff marketed toward the tween market.	Therapist: Society is a bunch of lemmings who go with the majority. Look at the Republicans – McCain obviously doesn't have a plan, so rather than talk about a plan he looks for the bad stuff in his opponent....like grade schoolers acting out ...I hope tween kids can choose what they really want and like and not act out like grade schoolers even when they are adults.