Publication Date

Spring 2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Communication and Training

First Advisor

Valerie Cronin-Fisher, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Lara Stache, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Jillian Klean-Zwilling, Ph.D.

Abstract

This study examined the discourses of miscarriages from the podcast narratives of women who have experienced miscarriage by utilizing Relational Dialectic Theory (RDT). The process of contrapuntal analysis identified the discourse of silence as the dominant miscarriage discourse in which the marginalized miscarriage discourse of silence as the dominant miscarriage discourse in which the marginalized miscarriage discourses of open and honest and fear and anxiety were counterpoint to. There were four interrelated themes of shame, lack of supportive and encouraging messages, lack of readily available information, and a communicated feeling that their circumstances could be worse that revealed the silence discourse within the women's stories. The Marginalized discourse of open and honest was supported by two interrelated themes of community and advocacy, and validation. The marginalized discourse of fear and anxiety was supported by themes doubt and insecurity and the triggers women experienced after having had a miscarriage. These competing discourses revealed many different nuances and avenues for future miscarriage and reproductive health communication in RDT research.

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