Abstract
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness with a significant negative impact on quality of life. People with bipolar disorder benefit when family and friends provide social support, but quantity and quality of support are often lacking. The purpose of this study is to provide a focused analysis of barriers to support-seeking and provision as identified by young adults (ages 18-30) who have bipolar disorder. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with young adults with bipolar disorder (N = 29) and analyzed using qualitative coding methods. Communication barriers experienced by participants included the characteristics of bipolar disorder, stigma associated with mental illness, desire for independence, lack of support-seeking skill, and fear of over-reaction by others. Barriers identified by interviewees are discussed with respect to their implications for improving the lives of people with bipolar disorder.
Journal Title
Iowa Journal of Communication
Volume
46
Issue
1
First Page
114
Last Page
137
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Doherty, Eileen F. and MacGeorge, Erina J.
(2014)
"Barriers Impeding Social Support: The Experiences of Young Adults with Bipolar Disorder,"
Iowa Journal of Communication: Vol. 46:
No.
1, Article 10.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ijc/vol46/iss1/10
Copyright
©2014 Iowa Communication Association
