Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults
Abstract Background Violent media is the most consumed type of media in Lebanon. Many studies have linked exposure to media violence to increased aggression and psychological distress. As Lebanon is going through socio-political turmoil, we aimed to [1] explore the correlates of aggression (i.e., so...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01232-0 |
| _version_ | 1797789500758294528 |
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| author | Alfred Chabbouh Souheil Hallit Nour Farah Christina Youssef Abdo Hankache Feten Fekih-Romdhane Zeinab Bitar Sahar Obeid |
| author_facet | Alfred Chabbouh Souheil Hallit Nour Farah Christina Youssef Abdo Hankache Feten Fekih-Romdhane Zeinab Bitar Sahar Obeid |
| author_sort | Alfred Chabbouh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Violent media is the most consumed type of media in Lebanon. Many studies have linked exposure to media violence to increased aggression and psychological distress. As Lebanon is going through socio-political turmoil, we aimed to [1] explore the correlates of aggression (i.e., sociodemographic factors, BMI, loneliness, social competence, and psychological distress) in a sample of Lebanese adults from the general population, and [2] to examine the mediating effect of psychological distress in the association between exposure to media violence and aggression in this sample. Methodology Adults were recruited through online convenience sampling. We employed scales to assess content-based media exposure (C-ME), aggression (BPAQ-SF), psychological distress (DASS-8), loneliness (JGLS), and perceived social competence (PSCS). Results Exposure to media violence was associated with all four aggression subtypes (verbal, physical, hostility, and anger). Psychological distress partially mediated all these associations; higher exposure to media violence was significantly associated with more psychological distress, which was significantly associated with higher levels of all types of aggression. Moreover, higher exposure to media violence was significantly associated with higher levels of all types of aggression. Conclusion In the sociopolitical context of Lebanon, violent media could be considered a public hazard. Psychological distress likely potentiates the association between exposure to violent media and aggression. Future research should focus on determining what components of psychological distress underpin this mediation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:51:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-726d250443f74f4687f1275c04fc0f0a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:51:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-726d250443f74f4687f1275c04fc0f0a2023-07-02T11:29:55ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832023-06-0111111310.1186/s40359-023-01232-0Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adultsAlfred Chabbouh0Souheil Hallit1Nour Farah2Christina Youssef3Abdo Hankache4Feten Fekih-Romdhane5Zeinab Bitar6Sahar Obeid7Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese UniversitySchool of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikResearch Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the CrossSchool of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikSchool of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikThe Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry “Ibn Omrane”, Razi HospitalFaculty of Medicine, Paris-Saclay UniversitySocial and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American UniversityAbstract Background Violent media is the most consumed type of media in Lebanon. Many studies have linked exposure to media violence to increased aggression and psychological distress. As Lebanon is going through socio-political turmoil, we aimed to [1] explore the correlates of aggression (i.e., sociodemographic factors, BMI, loneliness, social competence, and psychological distress) in a sample of Lebanese adults from the general population, and [2] to examine the mediating effect of psychological distress in the association between exposure to media violence and aggression in this sample. Methodology Adults were recruited through online convenience sampling. We employed scales to assess content-based media exposure (C-ME), aggression (BPAQ-SF), psychological distress (DASS-8), loneliness (JGLS), and perceived social competence (PSCS). Results Exposure to media violence was associated with all four aggression subtypes (verbal, physical, hostility, and anger). Psychological distress partially mediated all these associations; higher exposure to media violence was significantly associated with more psychological distress, which was significantly associated with higher levels of all types of aggression. Moreover, higher exposure to media violence was significantly associated with higher levels of all types of aggression. Conclusion In the sociopolitical context of Lebanon, violent media could be considered a public hazard. Psychological distress likely potentiates the association between exposure to violent media and aggression. Future research should focus on determining what components of psychological distress underpin this mediation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01232-0Media violenceAggressionPsychological distressLebanon |
| spellingShingle | Alfred Chabbouh Souheil Hallit Nour Farah Christina Youssef Abdo Hankache Feten Fekih-Romdhane Zeinab Bitar Sahar Obeid Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults BMC Psychology Media violence Aggression Psychological distress Lebanon |
| title | Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults |
| title_full | Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults |
| title_fullStr | Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults |
| title_short | Examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults |
| title_sort | examining correlates of aggression and mediating effect of psychological distress between exposure to media violence and aggression in lebanese adults |
| topic | Media violence Aggression Psychological distress Lebanon |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01232-0 |
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