An integrated empirical and computational study to decipher help-seeking behaviors and vocal stigma

Area of Science:

• Speech and Hearing Sciences
• Computational Social Science
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Professional voice users, including singers and actors, often encounter stigma related to voice disorders, leading to reluctance in seeking medical attention.
• This study investigates the interplay between vocal stigma, help-seeking behaviors, and social network influences among these professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the experience of vocal stigma and help-seeking behaviors in performers.
• To predict how peer influences within social networks modulate these experiences.

Main Methods:

• Prospective online surveys collected data on vocal stigma and information-motivation-behavioral (IMB) skills from 403 Canadians (200 performers, 203 controls).
• An agent-based network model simulated social interactions to analyze the impact of network structure on stigma and IMB flow.

Main Results:

• Larger social networks correlate with increased vocal stigma.
• In smaller networks, higher IMB reduces total stigma; this effect is diminished in larger networks.
• Individuals with high social stigma and voice disorder risk show vocal stigma resistant to IMB changes; extreme IMB/stigma values accelerate network polarization.

Conclusions:

• Empirical surveys and computational modeling were integrated to understand vocal stigma and IMB beyond theoretical frameworks.
• This research quantifies the interactions among stigma, health-seeking behavior, and social influence.
• An effective platform is established for developing interventions to reduce health stigma in voice disorders and other conditions.