Background and Purpose: Media violence has attracted considerable attention from researchers in recent years as a factor affecting the mental health of children and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate and analyze the psychological consequences of exposure to media violence and to elucidate the underlying theoretical mechanisms.
Method: This research was a narrative review study and was conducted using a descriptive method. Scientific literature was identified through searches using the keywords media violence, violent content, video games, social media, aggression, children, adolescents, and other related combinations in Google Scholar and major academic databases, including JSTOR, PubMed, SAGE Journals, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Wiley Online Library. Sources published between 1965 and 2026 were collected, described, interpreted, and discussed. Inclusion criteria included thematic relevance to the study, scientific credibility, a clearly described method, and full-text availability. Exclusion criteria included duplicate sources, lack of thematic relevance, and insufficient methodological information.
Results: The findings of this review indicated that exposure to media violence may be associated with increased arousal and activation of aggressive thoughts and emotions in the short term, and with desensitization to violence, reduced empathy, and the persistence of aggressive and antisocial behavioral patterns in the long term. The findings also showed that these effects can be seen across different media contexts and may be influenced by interactions among individual, family, social, and cultural factors. These consequences can be explained by various theoretical frameworks and explanatory mechanisms, including Social Learning Theory, Cultivation Theory, Desensitization Theory, and the General Aggression Model.
Conclusion: Overall, the findings of this study emphasize the importance of paying attention to the psychological consequences of exposure to media violence in children and adolescents, especially in relation to the formation and persistence of aggressive tendencies and highlight the need to design and implement preventive interventions at the family, educational system, and media policy levels. |
