Perceptions of Postpartum Disclosure on LinkedIn: The Role of Disclosure Level and Position of Power
Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
This in-progress research study will examine perceptions of women who disclose postpartum depression (PPD) on LinkedIn, addressing the broader topic of mental health disclosure in professional settings. The discourse on leader vulnerability, highlighted by Brené Brown (2018), emphasizes the benefits of transparency in leadership, such as fostering authenticity, trust, and inclusivity in the workplace. However, while the value of authenticity is recognized, the perceptions and potential biases that arise when leaders—particularly women—disclose stigmatizing information like PPD are not well understood. This gap is critical, as it can have significant implications for women’s career trajectories. Using a 3 (Disclosure: absent, partial, and full) x 2 (Power: entry-level employee, director) experimental vignette design, this research presents simulated LinkedIn profiles featuring women leaders who vary in their levels of PPD disclosure—from full, partial, to no disclosure. The study aims to assess how different levels of PPD disclosure affect perceptions of warmth, competence, authenticity, resilience, professionalism, and leadership potential. Drawing from stereotype and identity management theories, it is hypothesized that higher levels of PPD disclosure may enhance perceptions of warmth and authenticity but potentially undermine perceptions of competence, professionalism, and leadership potential. Additionally, the discloser's position of power is expected to moderate these relationships, where higher-status women may face different evaluative outcomes compared to those in lower positions when disclosing PPD. Two-way factorial ANOVAs will be conducted across each dependent variable: (1) warmth, (2) competence, (3) authenticity, (4) resilience, (5) professionalism, and (6) leadership potential. For each hypothesis we will look at the F-Statistic to determine whether to accept or reject the null hypotheses. If ANOVA results indicate any significant main effects or interactions (ɑ = 0.05) of disclosure level and/or job level, a post hoc test will be conducted to identify where the differences exist between groups. The anticipated findings of this study will contribute to the understanding of how mental health disclosures, particularly those related to PPD, affect women’s professional reputations and opportunities for career advancement. This study will inform organizational and online practices that encourage safe, supportive spaces for mental health conversations without inadvertently harming women's career prospects.
Date
11-9-2024
Subject
Industrial and organizational psychology
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
PDF of Poster
Perceptions of Postpartum Disclosure on LinkedIn: The Role of Disclosure Level and Position of Power
This in-progress research study will examine perceptions of women who disclose postpartum depression (PPD) on LinkedIn, addressing the broader topic of mental health disclosure in professional settings. The discourse on leader vulnerability, highlighted by Brené Brown (2018), emphasizes the benefits of transparency in leadership, such as fostering authenticity, trust, and inclusivity in the workplace. However, while the value of authenticity is recognized, the perceptions and potential biases that arise when leaders—particularly women—disclose stigmatizing information like PPD are not well understood. This gap is critical, as it can have significant implications for women’s career trajectories. Using a 3 (Disclosure: absent, partial, and full) x 2 (Power: entry-level employee, director) experimental vignette design, this research presents simulated LinkedIn profiles featuring women leaders who vary in their levels of PPD disclosure—from full, partial, to no disclosure. The study aims to assess how different levels of PPD disclosure affect perceptions of warmth, competence, authenticity, resilience, professionalism, and leadership potential. Drawing from stereotype and identity management theories, it is hypothesized that higher levels of PPD disclosure may enhance perceptions of warmth and authenticity but potentially undermine perceptions of competence, professionalism, and leadership potential. Additionally, the discloser's position of power is expected to moderate these relationships, where higher-status women may face different evaluative outcomes compared to those in lower positions when disclosing PPD. Two-way factorial ANOVAs will be conducted across each dependent variable: (1) warmth, (2) competence, (3) authenticity, (4) resilience, (5) professionalism, and (6) leadership potential. For each hypothesis we will look at the F-Statistic to determine whether to accept or reject the null hypotheses. If ANOVA results indicate any significant main effects or interactions (ɑ = 0.05) of disclosure level and/or job level, a post hoc test will be conducted to identify where the differences exist between groups. The anticipated findings of this study will contribute to the understanding of how mental health disclosures, particularly those related to PPD, affect women’s professional reputations and opportunities for career advancement. This study will inform organizational and online practices that encourage safe, supportive spaces for mental health conversations without inadvertently harming women's career prospects.
Department
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dept. of Psychology