Self-disclosure and received social support among women experiencing infertility on reddit: A natural language processing approach

The intricate interplay between self-disclosure strategies and the social support received has garnered limited scholarly attention. Guided by communication privacy management theory, the functional theory of self-disclosure, social support theory, and social penetration theory, this study seeks to delve deeper into this dynamic within the context of female infertility. Fertility challenges among women remain sensitive and veiled by societal silence, thereby compelling them to seek information and support through online channels. By leveraging natural language processing techniques, we examined 11,714 posts and 76,022 comments from the Subreddit IVF over a three-year period. Our investigation shows that online support forums provide a convenient and beneficial channel for women dealing with infertility issues to exchange information and express distress. However, a discrepancy exists between the types and intended functions of self-disclosure and the types of social support received. Posts aiming to clarify personal identities negatively predict the network support received. Moreover, disclosing thoughts in posts often fail to elicit esteem support in comments. The results highlight that online support communities exhibit inherent limitations in offering opportunities for sharing good news and seeking validation. These findings offer guidance to policymakers, practitioners, and the public in enhancing support for women experiencing challenges in childbearing. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd