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Psychological outcomes in reaction to media exposure to disasters and large-scale violence: A meta-analysis.
Abstract
Objective: A quantitative meta-analysis set out to consolidate the effect of experimental studies of media exposure to disasters and large-scale violence on negative psychological outcomes. Method: The meta-analysis included 18 experimental studies with an overall sample size of 1,634 to obtain an overall effect size and information regarding moderators of the effect size. Results: An overall significant and large effect size of Hedges' g of 1.61 showed that, across studies, media exposure to disasters and large-scale violence was followed by negative psychological outcomes. Outcome type was a significant moderator, with anxiety reactions showing an especially strong effect. Community sensitization was a significant moderator, with studies conducted in a region that had recently been exposed to the type of disaster or violence portrayed in the media showing especially large effect sizes. Conclusion: The results indicate that media exposure to disasters and large-scale violence can cause negative psychological outcomes, at least transiently. Limitations included a lack of statistical power in some moderator analyses and the inability to draw inferences about the duration of effects. There is a need for further research aimed at identifying the possible cumulative effects of media exposure and identification of groups at greatest risk for harmful outcomes.
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“In addition to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression also showed significant linkages with indirect (media-transmitted) contact with disasters and large-scale violence [20,21].”
From Impact of Media-Induced Uncertainty on Mental Health: Narrative-Based Perspective. (2025) · cites this paper as [21]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Hopwood, T. L., & Schutte, N. S.
- Affiliations
- University of New England (AU)
- Venue
- Psychology of Violence
- Published
- 2017
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 316-327
- ISSN
- 2152-081X (ISSN-L)
- 2152-0828
- OpenAlex
- W2560320704
- Cited by
- 106
- References
- 76
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 5.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology of Violence (publishedVersion)
- EPubDev Repository (submittedVersion)
- RUNE (Research UNE) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Communication › Public Relations and Crisis Communication
- Social Sciences › Communication › Media Influence and Health
- Keywords
- media exposure, disasters, mass violence, psychological outcomes, anxiety, community sensitization, media influence, experimental study, moderators of effect size
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