A Threatening Space

Stigmatization and the Framing of Autism in the News

Bibliographic Data

ID7498282
AuthorsAvery E Holton (0000-0003-1307-2890, University of Utah, corresponding author), Laura C Farrell (Longwood University), Julie L Fudge (0000-0003-4783-8014, University of Mary)
Year2014
Volume65
Issue2
Pages189-207
Publication date2014-03-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCommunication Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1051-0974 • E-ISSN: 1745-1035
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10510974.2013.855642
OpenAlexW2095539890
LanguageEN
Citations received32
References cited62

The public develops interpretations of physical and mental disabilities through a variety of resources, most notably representations presented by the news media. While disability scholars have long lamented negative portrayals of disabilities in the mass media (e.g., movies, fictional television programs, songs) as dehumanizing and devaluing, studies of news media depictions have been scant. The present study focuses on a salient mental disability—autism—to advance current scholarship about representations of disabilities in the news. Stigmatizing cues and framing techniques from news coverage of autism over a period of approximately 15 years suggest that journalists may be creating a threatening space for autism, particularly through the perpetuation of stigmatic cues in more than two-thirds of news coverage of autism, coupled with the selection of certain news frames. Implications for media and disabilities practice and scholarship are discussed. Keywords: ASDAutismDisabilityNews FramingSocial ConstructionStigma Notes Notes. N = 473; Frequency presented numerically with percentage in parenthesis; df = 472; significant between-pair mean differences denoted by superscripts, p < .001 for a, b, c. Notes. N = 473; Frequency presented numerically with percentage in parenthesis; df = 472; significant between-pair mean differences denoted by superscripts, p < .001 for a, b, c. Note. N = 473. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001. The complete coding scheme is available upon request. Additional informationNotes on contributorsAvery E. Holton Avery E. Holton (PhD, University of Texas at Austin, 2013) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at The University of Utah. Laura C. Farrell Laura C. Farrell (Doctoral Candidate, North Dakota State University) is a Lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies at Longwood University. Julie L. Fudge Julie L. Fudge (PhD, North Dakota State University, 2013) is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Mary

Art · Autism · Developmental psychology · Framing (construction · Linguistics · Literature · Mass media · Media studies · Narrative · News media · Parenthesis · Political science · Scholarship · Sociology · Child Development and Digital Technology · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Media Studies and Communication · Psychology · History · Law · Philosophy · Social Psychology

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