Media and Psychology

**Background**

Throughout history, references have been made to mental health and psychology in media formats such as art, music, television and film. How these references are made are pivotal to the wellbeing and safety of consumers.

**Television**

An article in Forbes magazine by Nicole F. Roberts claims that there has been an increase in television consumption . Research demonstrates a negative association between watching television and positive affect . Positive affect is defined as the experience of positive emotional states, high levels of energy, interest, and enthusiasm. There is evidence that watching television reduces positive affect. For those television programs that intend to improve the mood of the viewers, the result is temporary and reduces engagement of other behaviors such as spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, or volunteering . Watching television is an indoor activity and reduces time spend outdoors. Research has shown that time spent outside, specifically in nature, can be beneficial for one's mental health. Watching television can also be viewed as a distraction from addressing daily responsibilities, such as taking care of things at home and completing work. How mental health and psychological disorders are portrayed in television shows is vital for the viewers wellbeing.

**Example of Mental Health Disorders in Television**

An example of a television show that stirred debate about the depiction of mental health disorders in the media is 13 Reasons Why on Netflix. 13 Reasons Why, released in 2017, is about teenager Clay Jensen as he returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate - who died by suicide two weeks earlier. On the tapes, Hannah explains the thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. The National Institute of Mental Health published an article called "Release of '13 Reasons Why' Associated with Increase in Youth Suicide Rates". The article states that this Netflix show was associated with a 28.9% increase in suicide rates among U.S. youth ages 10-17 in the month (April 2017) following the show's release, after accounting for ongoing trends in suicide rates, according to a study published in Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry . Study author Lisa Horowitz, Ph.D., M.P.H., said that "The results of this study should raise awareness that young people are particularly vulnerable to the media and that all disciplines, including the media, need to take good care to be constructure and thoughtful about topics that intersect with public health crises." There is a growing body of psychological findings that suggest that youth may be particularly sensitive to the way suicide is portrayed in popular entertainment and in the media . Best practices for talking about and portraying suicide and other mental health disorders need to be created and implemented. Characters on the show are portrayed to have mental health disorders such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and others, with the intent of showing audiences that they are not alone. Notably, the controversial scene showing Hannah take her own life was removed after mass criticism.

**Cognitive Risks Associated with Television Watching**

A cross-sectional analysis of 289 older women by Fogel and Carlson found that talk shows or soap operas as a favorite television category were associated with poorer scores on various cognitive measures . Verghese explains that the cognitive risks associated with television viewing may depend on the timing and duration of exposure as well as the degree of interaction . Gender differences in viewing habits must also be considered. A few cross-sectional studies have suggested that present and past television viewing is associated with poorer cognition and an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, but the small number of longitudinal studies that have been carried out have found mixed results. A study by Fancourt & Steptoe (2019) examined whether television viewing behaviors in adults aged 50 or over are associated with a decline in cognition. Using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging involving 3,662 adults aged 50+, the researchers explored longitudinal associations between baseline television watching and cognition six years later while controlling for demographic factors, socio-economic status, depression, physical health, health behaviors and a range of other sedentary behaviors . The findings suggest that television viewing for more than 3.5 hours per day may be related to cognitive decline among older adults.

**Entertainment Writers Collaborate with Mental-Health Professionals**

Dr. Jessi Gold, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University's School of Medicine, shared her views on the importance of messaging in entertainment. She was called on to speak to television writers and producers on how to craft more responsible entertainment with the MTV Entertainment Group. Their goal is to work collaboratively in order to make programming more mental health safe . The president and chief executive of MTV Entertainment Group, Chris McCarthy, took the lead in hiring a team to compose a guide on creating responsible programming, with mental health experts. The guide is described as a slickly designed website focusing on a range of mental health situations and includes storytelling tips like "elevate stories of friends and family members who are supportive" . Gold specifically advised writers and creators to be cognizant of problematic word choice. For example, writers have suggested using words like 'unhinged' or 'intense' to replace 'crazy', however the issue of compromising the entertainment and humor arises. Though the discussions on how to safely and effectively portray mental health in the media have just begun, that alone is a step towards the right direction.

**Popular Television and Public Mental Health**

Collaborations between media and health professions are an important and growing field. Henderson conducted a qualitative research study which explores perspectives of media and mental health professions involved in producing soap opera and drama storylines with a theme of mental distress . The author interviewed story consultations from mental health organizations and producers and script writers from television series. Henderson found that television industry professionals recognize their anti-stigma public service role and are receptive to working iwth consultants to create authentic characters. Additionally, it was revealed that medication provides a siple on-screen solution to resolve complex stories rather than depicting mental distress, treatment, andn recovery. Research such as this one is important in bridging the gap between media and mental health professions who have similar goals in mind; to be there for individuals in a way that is harmless and safe.

**The Influence of Pop Songs Referencing Mental Health**

Music is an important part of many individual's lives. U.S. college students' general mental health is rapidly declining and scholars have observed significant increases in references to depression, suicide, and mental health metaphors in popular music . The study by Kresovich sought out to assess some of the potential implications of this rise. College students completed an online survey about their exposure to contemporary pop songs that reference mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The study's findings suggest that pop music artists who open up about their own mental health issues may have potential as new message sources in communication campaigns designed to improve mental health outcomes among college students .

*Substance Use References*

According to author Harakeh, substance use references occur more frequently in rap/hip-hop than in other music genres. The aim of Harakeh's study was to examine whether the exposure to rap/hip-hop lyrics referring to substance use affected cigarette smoking . One way ANOVA showed that participants listening to songs with substance use references felt significantly less pleasant, liked the songs less, understood the songs less compared to participants listening to pop songs. Rap/hip-hop conditions did not have a significantly different effect on acute smoking. The author concluded that listening to rap/hip-hop with mention of substance use does not seem to encourage cigarette smoking among this population of daily-smoking young adults .

1. ↑ Roberts, N. F. (2019, December 4). *Psychological research explains why TV viewing is higher than ever*. Forbes. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolefisher/2019/12/04/psychological-research-explains-why-tv-viewing-is-higher-than-ever/?sh=2fe84da63b0b.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 [1]Emamzadeh, A. (n.d.). *New research: Does watching TV make us unhappy?* Psychology Today. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-new-home/201805/new-research-does-watching-tv-make-us-unhappy.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 McKenzie, S. K., Jenkin, G., Steers, D., Magill, R., & Collings, S. (2020). Young people's perspectives and understanding of the suicide story in 13 reasons why. *Crisis*, *42*(1), 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000688
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Verghese, J. (2006). To view or not to view: Television and mental health. *Southern Medical Journal*, *99*(3), 202. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.smj.0000204329.98066.62
5. ↑ Fancourt, D., & Steptoe, A. (2019). Television viewing and cognitive decline in older age: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. *Scientific Reports*, *9*(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39354-4
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Zeitchik, S. (2021, July 13). *In closed-door meetings at MTV, creators are grappling with how to make entertainment more responsible*. The Washington Post. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/12/mtv-mental-health-programming/.
7. ↑ Henderson, L. (2017). Popular television and public mental health: Creating media entertainment from mental distress. *Critical Public Health*, *28*(1), 106–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2017.1309007
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Kresovich, A. (2020). The influence of pop songs referencing anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation on college students’ mental health empathy, stigma, and behavioral intentions. *Health Communication*, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1859724
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Harakeh, Z., & Bogt, T. F. M. (2018). The effect of rap/hip-hop music on Young adult smoking: An experimental study. *Substance Use & Misuse*, *53*(11), 1819–1825. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2018.1436565

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