Big news stories and longitudinal data collection: A prominent child sexual abuse case negatively affects parents’ attitudes toward male caregivers

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dc.contributor.authorKroes, A. D., der Pol, L. D. V., Groeneveld, M. G., & Mesman, J.
dc.date.accessioned2021-09-14T15:05:45Z
dc.date.available2021-09-14T15:05:45Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractConsumption of news media can influence attitudes toward specific groups, but the influence of news media on longitudinal data collection has not yet been researched. We present a method to index media attention on a specific topic, as well as a case study on a big child sexual abuse (CSA) story and its effect on parents’ attitudes toward male childcare professionals in a longitudinal study with fathers and mothers of 207 Dutch families. Questionnaire data on attitudes toward gender-differentiated parenting were collected in four annual waves between 2010 and 2014. NexisUni® Academic database was used to index articles on CSA to chart patterns of media attention before and during that time span. There was an immediate increase in media attention, the amount of articles on CSA doubled, as well as a prolonged increase in attention which culminated during the second wave of the study. In the first wave, 97 of the families participated before the CSA case became known, and 110 participated afterward. Parents who participated after the first news about the case came out reported a more negative attitude toward hiring a male babysitter than those who participated before it. This effect was stronger for mothers. The negative effect on attitude endured during the subsequent waves for all fathers and for those mothers who participated before the news broke. Findings indicate that big news stories influence attitudes that lasts over time and can therefore influence longitudinal data. Further analysis suggests that the influence of news stories is gendered, as mothers showed a recovery in their attitudes over time while fathers did not. We recommend further research on the effect of news on attitude and behavioral measures in longitudinal research.en_US
dc.identifier.citationKroes, A. D., der Pol, L. D. V., Groeneveld, M. G., & Mesman, J. (2021). Big news stories and longitudinal data collection: A prominent child sexual abuse case negatively affects parents’ attitudes toward male caregivers. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 01650254211042418.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/01650254211042418
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11212/5222
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherInternational Journal of Behavioral Developmenten_US
dc.subjectchild abuseen_US
dc.subjectnews mediaen_US
dc.subjectresearchen_US
dc.subjectInternational Resourcesen_US
dc.subjectNetherlandsen_US
dc.subjectpublic perceptionen_US
dc.titleBig news stories and longitudinal data collection: A prominent child sexual abuse case negatively affects parents’ attitudes toward male caregiversen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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