Influencing Factors on the Fear of Crime in Adults in Their 30s: Focus on Media Literacy, Perceived Neighborhood Disorder and Adult Attachment Styles

Purpose: To identify influencing factors of media literacy, perceived neighborhood disorder, and adult attachment styles on fear of crime in adults in their 30s. Methods: Subjects were 232 adults in their 30s residing in South Korea. Data were collected through online and mobile surveys from February 21 to 26, 2024. Results: The following factors were found to significantly influence general fear of crime: female (β=.29, p<.001), perceived neighborhood disorder (β=.22, p=.002), attachment anxiety (β=.19, p=.003), and exclusion harmful media (β=.14, p=.020). These factors explained 23% of general fear of crime in adults in their 30s. The following factors significantly influenced specific fear of crime: perceived neighborhood disorder (β=.33, p<.001), attachment anxiety (β=.29, p<.001), female (β=.17, p=.003) and daily video platform usage (β=.16, p=.045). These factors explained 32% of specific fear of crime in adults in their 30s. Conclusion: A multidimensional approach to understanding influencing factors of fear of crime is necessary because such an approach can serve as a basis for future public safety policies. Community mental health nurses should also increase their focus on ensuring that citizens feel safe in their communities.