The reflections of child neglect and abuse news in the media on family and societal relations

This study aimed to examine, in a multidimensional manner, the impact of media coverage of child neglect and abuse on parental awareness, emotional responses, and digital parenting practices, as well as how these impacts are reflected in family dynamics and social relationships. In this context, a mixed methods approach was adopted to investigate the effects of media content on family and societal interactions. The data collection process was carried out using a sequential explanatory mixed design. In the quantitative phase, a descriptive-relational design was employed to analyze the influence of media content on intra-family relationships and social interactions. In the qualitative phase, a phenomenological design was used. The research group consisted of parents with children aged 3 to 11 years, and the sample was formed through voluntary participation. The quantitative study was conducted with 507 participants, and the data were analyzed using SPSS-27. Frequency tables were generated for sociodemographic variables; independent samples t-tests, One-Way ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis H tests were employed. Relationships between variables were evaluated through Pearson correlation analysis. In the qualitative phase, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 20 participants (10 women and 10 men). The data were coded and analyzed using MAXQDA 2024. Quantitative findings revealed that awareness of child abuse was significantly associated with demographic variables such as education level, parental gender, income level, age of the child, and residential area. However, variables such as parental age, child's gender, and family structure did not show a significant effect on awareness levels. Qualitative findings indicated that digital parenting practices varied according to gender roles, and that parenting in the digital age constitutes a multi-layered structure with not only technical but also social, emotional, and cultural dimensions. It was observed that individuals who frequently follow such news exhibited decreased awareness of abuse and an increased tendency to ignore distressing content, suggesting that media exposure may trigger psychological defense mechanisms. Moreover, parenting strategies were found to change according to the child's age and to be reshaped based on developmental needs. The effects of digital content on children's behavior also varied with age, indicating the necessity for parents to develop age-appropriate intervention strategies. In conclusion, digital parenting and media awareness cannot be explained solely by technological proficiency; instead, they are shaped by multi-layered dynamics such as socio-demographic variables, gender roles, emotional reactivity, cultural norms, media consumption habits, and parenting practices. Furthermore, media coverage of child neglect and abuse was found to increase protective and supervisory behaviors in family communication, reinforcing security-oriented approaches within the family structure and leading to the development of a more cautious and critical perspective toward media content in broader social interactions