Gabriella Conforti
DARE Project: Podcasting's Possibilities for Mental Health: The Rise in Mental Health Podcasting and Societal Acceptance of Open Discussions of Mental Health
Program(s) of Study: Communication & Media Studies
Project Supervisor: Anne F. MacLennan
The one thing I enjoyed most about my DARE experience was being able to take a very large sample and transform it into clear, meaningful findings. Applying research methods to podcasts was a challenge I enjoyed, as I could identify how podcasts shared experiences of mental health and the impacts this had on listeners. Being able to analyze how mental health is discussed in an audio-focused space gave me a new appreciation for how people build support networks today and also introduced me to some amazing podcasts!
Project Description:
My DARE research project focused on reviewing mental health podcasts to determine how podcasts provide a unique space for lived experiences to be shared, analyzing how these disclosures diverge from traditional audio formats and how they are increasingly commercialized. Additionally, my project also had an intersectional approach where it examined how podcasts serve diverse communities dealing with trauma, depression, and anxiety, particularly within racialized and gendered groups. During this project, I collected a sample of various mental health podcasts and utilized content analysis to identify similarities and differences across the sample. This ultimately will help to outline criteria for excellence in these podcasts and examine the public online response to this content.The Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (DARE) - Undergraduate enables our students to meaningfully engage in research projects supervised by LA&PS faculty members. Find out more about DARE.