The relationship between violent news content and perceived stress

Abstract

The contemporary information environment is characterized by highly intensive news flows, a substantial proportion of which consists of emotionally charged content containing information about various forms of violence. Regular exposure to such materials may be associated with users’ psychological well-being, highlighting the relevance of examining the relationship between patterns of news content consumption and perceived stress. The aim of this study was to identify patterns of consumption of violent news content and to examine its relationship with perceived stress and anxiety among respondents. The study included 50 participants aged 16–35 years. Empirical data were collected using an author-developed questionnaire designed to assess patterns of news content consumption, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Spielberger–Khanin measure of state and trait anxiety. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used for statistical analysis. The results revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between exposure to violent news content and perceived stress (r = 0.32, p < 0.05). The relationship with state anxiety was weak and statistically non-significant (r = 0.18, p > 0.05), while the relationship with trait anxiety was negligible (r = −0.02, p > 0.05). According to the author-developed questionnaire, the main sources of news were Instagram (80%), TikTok (58%), and Telegram channels (38%). Among violence-related materials, respondents most frequently reported news concerning physical (59.2%), sexual (55.1%), and psychological violence (42.9%). The findings indicate a relationship between the consumption of violent news content and perceived stress; however, the correlational design of the study does not allow causal conclusions to be drawn. The practical significance of the study lies in the potential application of the findings to the development of recommendations for information hygiene and the mindful consumption of emotionally charged news content.