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Social psychology --- Age group sociology --- Computer architecture. Operating systems --- Flanders

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The present study assesses both parents’ and children’s fright reactions to child kidnapping stories in newspapers and news on television. A total of 233 Flemish parents (mothers or fathers) participated and filled in a survey. All parents have children between 9 to 13 years old. Findings show that the fright reactions of parents correlate with fright reactions of their children. Parents who followed in the past kidnapping stories in the news in depth, are more concerned. Results suggest that the attention to kidnapping stories is more related to fright reactions than the frequencies of media use. The study reveals also that the type of newspaper plays an important role. Children and parents who only read popular newspapers are more concerned to be abducted than those who only read quality newspapers and those who read both popular and quality newspapers. Other researchers showed the effect of ‘parental mediation’ when children are exposed to kidnapping stories. The results of this study suggest the opposite. Conversations between parent and child did not reassure the child. This study shows that children who frequently talk about kidnapping stories with their parents, are more concerned. Presumably the child learns from these talks to respond with fear when exposed to such messages. Furthermore the study reveals the importance of social demographic variables. Gender, age and the level of education of the parents are playing an important role in the results. Girls and mothers are more frightened of child abduction than boys and fathers. The study shows that parents with a lower level of education are more frightened than those with a higher level. Older parents have less fear for child abduction than younger parents. Last but not least, this study investigated the connection between watching television in general and the fear of kidnapping. The study shows that the frequency at which children and parents watch television does not matter for the children, but does matter for parents. Parents with a high frequency have more fear for kidnappings. Further research must take into account the possible impact of fiction on television, in books etc. The foregoing study was rather brief and needs further enquiry. The results of this study and of further research can be used as advice to parents, reporters and publishers.

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