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Self-Disclosure, Received Social Support, and Perceived/Self-Stigma Among Women Experiencing Fertility Challenges: A Mixed Methods Approach
Abstract
Women’s fertility struggles continue to be marred by historical stigmatization and marginalization, despite significant strides made by feminist movements in the United States. Reproduction is not only a fundamental biological function for women worldwide but also deeply ingrained in social norms and expectations of family roles and responsibilities. Nonetheless, women undergoing grueling infertility treatments are expected to endure emotional and physical pain with stoicism, resilience, and self-sacrifice. Even today, the issue of female infertility remains underrepresented in mainstream discussions and often carries a taboo and shameful connotation in many ethnic/racial minority communities, further deterring women from seeking treatment.
In light of this, my dissertation employs a mixed-methods approach to thoroughly examine the complex dimensions of women’s fertility challenges. Drawing upon communication privacy management theory, the functional theory of self-disclosure, social support theory, and social penetration theory, Study 1 investigates 11,714 posts and 76,022 comments published on the Subreddit IVF over the past three years using a natural language processing approach. The findings suggest that online support forums are more valuable as an information source than as a genuine open space for women to receive the help they need. Based on it, Study 2, an in-depth interview study with 29 women suffering from such issues, explores how ethnic/racial, religious, cultural, and socioeconomic identities influence their stigma experiences, motherhood perceptions, support seeking and provision, disclosure preferences, and relationship navigation. Through situating women’s experiences within a post-feminist framework, the analysis uncovers the pervasive erasure and neglect of women’s voices and needs by their families, communities, and societies, as well as how the interactions among women in support groups turn into a competitive dynamic, fueling a culture of misery consumption. Incorporating insights gained from these two studies, my dissertation underscores the significance of shattering taboos surrounding female reproductive health, fostering women’s empowerment in reclaiming agency over their bodies, and expanding access to more affordable and inclusive support services for those grappling with fertility challenges.
Citation
Zou, Wenxue (2023). Self-Disclosure, Received Social Support, and Perceived/Self-Stigma Among Women Experiencing Fertility Challenges: A Mixed Methods Approach. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /199810.