Trauma Recovery in Victims of Crime: The Role of Television Viewing Motives and Television Exposure

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that apart from being a consequence of psychological distress, television use may also have an impact on the evolution of distress symptoms. The present study tested this hypothesis in a sample of 224 crime victims. Subjects were interviewed 3, 6, and 9 months post-crime. The questionnaire measured multiple pre-, mid-, and post-trauma factors as well as television viewing motives and overall and selective exposure to television. The results of a linear mixed effects analyses indicate that with regard to television, viewing motives in particular have net effects that hamper or benefit the recovery process of crime victims. Implications for research dealing with uses and gratifications and both overall and selective exposure to television are discussed.

Notes

Note. AGO = agoraphobia, ANX = anxiety, DEP = depression, DIS = distrust and interpersonal sensitivity, HOS = hostility, INS = insufficiency of thoughts and actions, SLE = sleep disturbances, SOM = somatic complaints.

*p ≤ .05; **p ≤ .01.

Note. AGO = agoraphobia, ANX = anxiety, DEP = depression, DIS = distrust and interpersonal sensitivity, HOS = hostility, INS = insufficiency of thoughts and actions, SLE = sleep disturbances, SOM = somatic complaints.

*p ≤ .05; **p ≤ .01.

Note. AGO = agoraphobia, ANX = anxiety, DEP = depression, DIS = distrust and interpersonal sensitivity, HOS = hostility, INS = insufficiency of thoughts and actions, SLE = sleep disturbances, SOM = somatic complaints.

^† p ≤ .06; *p ≤ .05; **p ≤ .01.

In Belgium, police officers are legally bound to offer assistance from a delegate of the VSU to persons who report having become victim of a crime involving direct contact with the perpetrator or violation of the home. If this offer is accepted, the VSU contacts the victim within 5 days of being notified.

For reasons of confidentiality, the victims who participated in this study received the first questionnaire directly from the VSU. However, some VSU divisions were concerned that sending out follow-up questionnaires as a reminder would put to much pressure on their clients. Consequently, follow-up efforts to maximize response were hampered.

A total of 2.6% of the subjects were victims or next of kin of victims of (attempted) murder/manslaughter, 5.4% were rape victims, 4% were victims of indecent assault, 10.2% were domestic assault victims, 21.9% were non-domestic assault victims, 14.4% were stalking victims, 17.6% were robbery victims, and 20.5% were burglary victims; the remaining 3.4% were victims of other types of crime (e.g., false allegations, destruction of property).

Respondents who completed the first assessment filled out their addresses on the envelope in which the questionnaire was returned; unlike the procedure used to compose the panel, follow-up for the remaining waves of data collection could therefore be carried out by the researchers. During data collection in wave 2 and wave 3, each respondent received a first follow-up questionnaire if no answer had been received after 3 weeks; if 3 more weeks later still no answer was received, a final follow-up questionnaire was mailed to the respondent.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jurgen Minnebo

Jurgen Minnebo was a researcher at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven at the time of this study and is now commissioning manager for Canvas, the second TV channel of VRT, the Flemish public service radio and television broadcaster.

Steven Eggermont

Steven Eggermont is an assistant professor at the Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. His research interests include sexuality in the media and developmental aspects of media use.