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The Effects of Political Media Consumption on Mental Health and Psychological Symptoms
  • Amanda Webster
Amanda Webster
Arizona State University Department of Psychology

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

This study used a modified version (questions pertaining to suicide were removed) of the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) to further explore the potential connection between consumption of political media from conservative and liberal sources and increased symptoms of psychological distress expanding beyond anger and considering feelings such as hopelessness, despair, hysteria and paranoia. Participants began the study by consuming one hour per day of political media. Half of the participants consumed political media that aligned with their beliefs and political stance for three days. The other half of the participants consumed political media that didn’t align with their beliefs and political stance for three days. Then they were asked to abstain from political media for ten days. At the end of the three days and at the end of the ten days, participants were asked to take the Beck Depression Inventory to monitor their depression levels. It was expected that adults (ages 18+) who eliminated consumption of political media for ten days would score lower on a BDI-II evaluation.