Gender differences in tweets on postnatal depression: A corpus linguistic analysis

Gender differences have been found in the way parents communicate online, however it is unclear whether these differences apply in the context of postnatal depression (PND). This research aimed to evaluate online discourses surrounding PND and explore gender differences in communication style associated with PND. X (formerly Twitter) data (15,850 posts) was identified and collected based on a key term search (e.g. 'PND') and analysed using corpus linguistic analysis. Results showed that female X users were more likely to discuss PND using words with a negative connotation or to use self-referent items, compared to male users who discussed PND more generally. X content related to PND was mostly created by female users and generally revolved around the experiences of mothers. The limited discussion regarding paternal PND suggests a lack of acknowledgement and insufficient online resources available for fathers.