It's more than sadness

The Discursive Construction of Depression on Australian Depression Websites

Bibliographic Data

ID4613027
AuthorsGrace Horwood (0000-0001-7918-5092, The University of Adelaide, corresponding author), Martha Augoustinos (0000-0002-7212-1499, The University of Adelaide)
Year2022
Volume32
Issue7
Pages1185-1196
Publication date2022-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/10497323221102240
PMID35583299
OpenAlexW4280530202
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited59

Depression has been the subject of increased awareness and concern in Australia, but there has been little research into how depression is constructed on mental health websites, which have become a major resource for mental health information among the general public. In this study, critical discursive psychology was employed to analyse the informational content of eight major Australian mental health websites concerning depression. Four interpretative repertoires were identified - a biomedical, a self-optimization, a normal-natural and a societal-structural repertoire. The biomedical and self-optimization repertoires were the most prevalent, constructing depression as an illness within an individual occurring as a result of a biological or psychological deficit. Whilst previous studies have identified the predominance of a biomedical repertoire of depression on official websites, this study highlights the growing prominence of a self-optimization repertoire alongside the biomedical. Whilst it appeared that the aim of the websites was to challenge stigma and encourage help-seeking, it is argued that this way of understanding depression may have counter-productive effects in that the problem is located within the individual rather than with society, and individuals may be positioned as responsible for managing their own mental health, under the guidance of experts. The implications of understanding depression in this way, and not in alternative ways, are discussed

Mental health · Mental illness · Political science · Psychiatry · Public health · Public relations · Repertoire · Sadness · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Medicine · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Nursing · Psychology

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