Why Exposure to Repeated News Coverage Can Increase Anxiety in Kids and Teens

By: Lisa Fillipovich, Ed.D., NCSP

When a major event happens, news coverage can feel nonstop. Television channels replay the same footage throughout the day. Social media spreads clips and comments quickly. Updates appear on phones almost right away.

Adults usually understand that these repeated images are just part of how news works. Children and teens often do not.

For younger children, seeing the same video or image many times can make it feel like the event is happening again and again. Children often take media very literally. When they see the same footage repeated, they may think the danger is still happening.

Secondary Exposure

Research shows that children can react emotionally to events even when they are not there themselves. Just seeing news coverage can cause worry, fear, or confusion. When children see upsetting images again and again, those reactions can become stronger.

Psychologists sometimes call this secondary exposure or secondary trauma. This means children feel stress from hearing about or seeing an event rather than experiencing it directly. Studies of disasters and violent events have shown that repeated media exposure can increase anxiety and distress in children.

Emotional Memory Activation

Another reason news can feel overwhelming is how it connects to memory. When children hear about something upsetting, it can remind them of other times they felt scared or unsafe. These memories do not have to be related to the news event itself. A child who once experienced a frightening storm, an emergency drill, or a scary moment at school may suddenly remember those feelings when hearing about something in the news.

Our brains naturally connect new information with past experiences. When something reminds a child of a previous fear, their reaction can be stronger than parents expect. Children may become more clingy, ask repeated questions, have trouble sleeping, or seem more irritable.

Missing Context

Another challenge is that news clips rarely show the full story. News coverage often focuses on the most dramatic moments. Children may not understand where the event happened, when it occurred, or whether the situation has already ended. Without that context, their brains try to fill in the missing pieces.

Parents often hear questions like, “Could that happen here?” or “Is it still happening?” These questions show that children are trying to understand how the event relates to their own safety.

Teens and Doomscrolling

Teens experience repeated news exposure in a different way, but it can still affect them. Many teenagers do not watch television news the way younger children might. Instead, they see events through social media posts, short videos, and group chats with friends.

Because of the way social media algorithms work, teens may see the same type of content many times in a row. When they watch or engage with a news clip, the platform often shows them more posts about the same event. This can lead to a pattern sometimes called doomscrolling, where people keep scrolling through upsetting information without realizing how much they have seen.

Over time, this constant stream of distressing content can increase stress and emotional fatigue. Teens may feel pressure to keep checking updates or reading reactions from others. Even when they want to stop, the platforms are designed to keep showing posts about the same topic.

How You Can Help

Parents can help by reducing how much repeated exposure children have to distressing news. Turning off background news is one simple step. Even when children seem busy playing, they often hear and absorb more than adults realize.

It also helps to avoid graphic images or videos when possible. When children or teens do see news coverage, parents can ask what they heard or saw and help explain it in clear terms.

Perhaps most important, children and teens look to adults to understand how serious something is. When adults stay calm and provide simple explanations, young people are better able to process what they hear.

Children and teens do not need to follow every detail of the news. What they need most is a trusted adult who can help them understand what they have heard and remind them that they can always ask questions about things happening in the world.

When Extra Support May Help

If your child continues to show strong signs of distress after hearing about events in the news, it may help to talk with a mental health professional. Ongoing sleep problems, frequent worries about safety, repeated questions about the event, withdrawal from normal activities, or noticeable changes in mood or behavior can signal that a child needs extra support. A school counselor, psychologist, pediatrician, or licensed therapist can help children process what they are feeling and provide guidance for both parents and children. Seeking support early can help prevent worries from becoming more overwhelming.

Sources:

American Psychological Association. (2015). How to talk to children about difficult news.

National Association of School Psychologists. (2023). Talking to children about violence: Tips for families and educators.

Pfefferbaum, B., Newman, E., Nelson, S., Nitiéma, P., Pfefferbaum, R., & Rahman, A. (2014). Media exposure in children following disasters and large-scale violence. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Comer, J. S., Furr, J. M., Beidas, R. S., et al. (2014). Children’s exposure to media coverage of traumatic events and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology.

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2024). Children and news exposure.