Navigating the Self-Disclosure of a Suicide Stigma: A Dual Study on Self-Disclosure Narratives on Reddit

This dual study uses a combined theoretical approach to examine the disclosure of experiences with suicidality and the decision-making process of concealing or revealing a suicide death. The first study pairs the Constitutive Model of Coming Out with Stigma Management Communication strategies to explore the disclosure of suicidal ideation and behaviors in romantic relationships. The second study utilizes Communication Privacy Management and the Disclosure Processes Model to investigate the concealment or revelation of suicide deaths among the bereaved. Through qualitative analysis of Reddit posts, studies employ values coding and thematic analysis to understand how individuals navigate these complex processes. Findings reveal that disclosure is dynamic and heavily influenced by cultural, cognitive, and relational factors, as well as grief experiences, relationship dynamics, and societal attitudes. Emotional cues like guilt, shame, and fear significantly impact communication strategies and privacy management. This research highlights the complexity of disclosure decisions and contributes to understanding mental health disclosures and stigma management.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's Degree

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Tegan, Kaylee

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Manning, Jimmie

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Marsh, Shawn
• Freeman, Brenda

• Coming Out
• Disclosure
• Privacy Management
• Reddit
• Stigma
• Suicide

Language dc:language.iso

en_US, English

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://scholarwolf.unr.edu/handle/11714/11155

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/11155