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Media Exposure to Armed Conflict: Dispositional Optimism and Self-Mastery Moderate Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptoms among Adolescents

Author

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  • Ayelet Pe’er

    (School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Michelle Slone

    (Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Background: Rapid technological developments enable the immediate transmission of armed conflict events through a variety of media channels, inducing mass anxiety, fear, and helplessness. Youth are particularly vulnerable and face new challenges as a result of this exposure. The effects of media exposure to such events on psychological distress and post-traumatic symptoms were examined. Methods: A total of 161 participants aged 13–18 years completed a questionnaire battery that included measures of media exposure to armed conflict events, previous direct exposure to armed conflict events, psychological distress, post-traumatic symptoms, dispositional optimism, and self-mastery. A structural equation model (SEM) approach was employed for data analysis. Results: The extent of media exposure to armed conflict was directly associated with psychological distress and post-traumatic symptoms. Dispositional optimism moderated the association between media exposure and psychological distress, while self-mastery moderated the association between media exposure and post-traumatic symptoms. The effects of the Internet factor of media exposure, which included social media, were particularly disturbing as neither of the resilience factors moderated negative outcomes. Conclusions: The findings suggest that clinical interventions to enhance dispositional optimism and self-mastery as well as other potential resilience factors can protect adolescents from the severe effects of media exposure to violent armed conflict events. Developmental and public health implications related to vulnerabilities and resilience during adolescence are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Ayelet Pe’er & Michelle Slone, 2022. "Media Exposure to Armed Conflict: Dispositional Optimism and Self-Mastery Moderate Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptoms among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:18:p:11216-:d:908586
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Slone, Michelle & Lavi, Iris & Ozer, Emily J. & Pollak, Adi, 2017. "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Meta-analysis of exposure and outcome relations for children of the region," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 50-61.
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    3. Sonia Livingstone, 2008. "Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: teenagers' use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 27072, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Celine Klemm & Enny Das & Tilo Hartmann, 2016. "Swine flu and hype: a systematic review of media dramatization of the H1N1 influenza pandemic," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 1-20, January.
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