Relationships between problematic binge-watching behavior with psychological and social states
Yasemin Özkent1, Yunus Akdoğan2
1Department of Radio Television and Cinema, Faculty of Communication, Selçuk University, Konya, Türkiye. yaseminozkentt@gmail.com.
BMC Public Health
|July 3, 2025
Summary
Excessive binge-watching correlates with higher depression, anxiety, and stress. It also increases social interaction anxiety and loneliness while decreasing social inclusion in Türkiye.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Media Studies
Background:
- Binge-watching is increasingly prevalent and linked to adverse psychiatric and social outcomes.
- Understanding these associations is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between binge-watching behavior and social inclusion, social interaction anxiety, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and stress.
- To examine these associations within the general population of Türkiye.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 894 participants in Türkiye.
- Validated scales including the Binge-Watching Addiction Questionnaire (BWAQ) and DASS-21 were utilized.
Main Results:
- Binge-watching frequency positively correlated with depression, anxiety, stress, social interaction anxiety, and loneliness.
- Increased binge-watching was associated with decreased social inclusion.
Conclusions:
- Binge-watching behavior is significantly associated with poorer mental health indicators and reduced social connection.
- Findings underscore the psychological risks of excessive media consumption and the need for further research on media use and mental well-being.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Binge Eating Disorders
184
Binge eating disorder is a significant mental health condition characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive food consumption within a short period, accompanied by a perceived loss of control over eating behavior. Unlike occasional overeating, binge eating disorder is marked by distressing emotions such as guilt, shame, and anxiety following binge episodes. The disorder affects individuals across different ages and backgrounds, with profound implications for physical and psychological...
184
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
200
Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
200
02:10Social Scripts
9.9K
People tend to know what behavior is expected of them in specific, familiar settings. A script is a person’s knowledge about the sequence of events expected in a specific setting (Schank & Abelson, 1977). Essentially, scripts are a particular kind of schema, one containing default values for the features within an event. In the restaurant example, the script's features include the props (e.g., tables, menu, food, and money), the roles to be played (e.g., customer and waiter),...
9.9K
01:30Social Cognitive Perspective on Personality
668
Social cognitive perspectives on personality emphasize the importance of conscious awareness, beliefs, expectations, and goals in shaping behavior. These perspectives incorporate behaviorist principles, such as learning through reinforcement and conditioning, but extend beyond them by highlighting human reasoning and planning. Unlike traditional behaviorist views, social cognitive theory focuses on how individuals reflect on their past experiences and plan for future outcomes by considering...
668
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
192
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
192
01:19Introduction to Psychological Disorders
525
Abnormal behavior, often referred to as mental illness, results from changes in brain function that influence thought patterns, behaviors, and social interactions. Psychologists and psychiatrists typically assess abnormal behavior using three primary criteria: deviance, maladaptation, and personal distress, particularly when these traits persist over long periods.
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
525