Under What Conditions Would You Spread Gynecological Diseases Stigma? Integrating Emotional Valence and Emotional Arousal into the Model of Stigma Communication.

Abstract

The stigma of gynecological diseases (GDs) in China threatens women's health rights. Based on the model of stigma communication (MSC), this study introduced two dimensions of emotional valence and emotional arousal to explore factors associated with the stigma spread of GDs. Content analysis, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression, and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) were used to analyze 1,279 related posts and comments on Sina Weibo. Results showed that mark, label, and responsibility were positively associated with the stigma spread of GDs, while peril and the three negative emotions (disgust, anger, and fear) were not. Unlike previous studies, emotional valence and emotional arousal were both positively associated with the stigma spread of GDs, with emotional arousal associated across various topics, especially in news discussion and gender relationships. Emotional valence and emotional arousal significantly improved the model's explanatory power. These findings emphasize the role of emotion in stigma communication, offering insights for stigma spread.