Abstract:

Despite increasing engagement with digital platforms, television, especially within Turkish entertainment culture, keeps its principal position. The most debated TV programs are those covering psychological issues. The interpersonal relationships covered by the psychology-related serials on Turkish television are praised by the audience. However, because the behaviors and attitudes of psychologists/psychiatrists seem not to be professional and because the way they hold their therapy sessions is very rare, these serials also are harshly criticized by mental health professionals. This article aims to analyze the representation of mental health professionals in Turkish TV serials, try to answer how psychologists/psychiatrists find their fictionalized images, and if these media contents increased the interest in psychology. The article is based on a descriptive study. The relationship between the increasing number of psychological serials and the interest in psychology is analyzed through the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The results suggest that increasing numbers of psychological serials positively correlate with the interest in psychology. The outcomes also suggest that the increasing number of psychological soap operas on Turkish TV channels is related to a high understanding of psychology, that psychology-related scenarios will be handled by directors in more detail, and that both the audience and psychology professionals are aware of the psychological scenes and patterns on the screens. Nonetheless, although mental health professionals are pleased with the interest they receive through TV programs, some found psychology-related TV shows capable enough to represent psychology in the Turkish media to some extent while some others think that the representation of their profession is either inadequate or amateurish.

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