Assessing How Speakers with Non-American Accents Experience and Manage Communication Accent Stigma in Healthcare Situations in the United States.
Date of Award
5-1-2025
Degree Name
M.A. in Communication
Department
Department of Communication
Advisor/Chair
Jen Ptacek
Abstract
Stigma related to one’s accent negatively affects the health decisions and behaviors of individuals with non-native American accents in the United States. Drawing upon stigma management communication theory (SMCT), this study explored the stigma experiences of individuals with non-native American accents in the United States, how they manage these situations and how it shapes their healthcare behaviors through ten semi-structured interviews. Stereotype threat, dismissiveness, preconceived judgment of their English-speaking abilities and discrimination were experienced by half of the participants. SMCT’s strategies of accepting, avoiding, evading, reducing offensiveness, ignoring, evading responsibility, and denying were also identified. The results show that individuals with non-native American accents also experience stigma related to their accent in healthcare situations which makes them hesitant to seek care. The findings suggest that stereotype threat and patients’ stigma management strategies are important phenomena that can impact the healthcare outcome of patients with non-native American accents. This study is one of the first studies that applies SMCT specifically to investigate how people with accents navigate the healthcare setting as they experience stigma.
Keywords
Communication, Health Care
Rights Statement
Copyright 2025, author.
Recommended Citation
Olalusi, Gift, "Assessing How Speakers with Non-American Accents Experience and Manage Communication Accent Stigma in Healthcare Situations in the United States." (2025). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 7533.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/graduate_theses/7533
