First Advisor
Newman, Harmony
Date Created
12-2018
Abstract
The current study analyzed the relationship between gender constructs and the construction of illness in the news media. Drawing on Entman’s (1993) framing analysis, the present study assessed if postpartum depression was constructed in the news media differently for men and women. Using LexisNexis, 153 news media articles were collected from major United States news sources between 1994-2016 using keywords such as, postpartum depression and paternal depression. The content analysis indicated that the definition of postpartum depression, the cause of the illness, the moral evaluations and the prescribed treatments were related to gender constructs. Overall, these findings enhance our understanding of frames in the news media. Frames subject the individuals being discussed in the news media to standards grounded in their social identities. The present study measures the disparity in the language used for an illness experienced by both men and women. Moreover, this research highlights the importance of including an intersectional approach in framing research.
Extent
68 pages
Local Identifiers
McDonaldThesis2018.pdf
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Recommended Citation
McDonald, Lauren Michelle, "Postpartum Depression in the News Media" (2018). Master's Theses. 76.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses/76