First-Time Mothers’ Pregnancy Disclosures to Supervisors: Examining the Disclosure Process Through the Antecedent Pregnancy Disclosure Model (APDM) and Outcome Pregnancy Disclosure Model (OPDM)

This dissertation addresses the overarching question, “What are the processes, antecedents, and outcomes of first-time mother’s pregnancy disclosures to their supervisors?” Two new theoretical disclosure models, the antecedent pregnancy disclosure model (APDM) and the outcome pregnancy disclosure model (OPDM), were empirically tested to address this question. Utilizing longitudinal data, these models examined the direct, mediation, and moderation effects associated with expecting women’s pregnancy disclosure experiences. The APDM and OPDM drew upon disclosure theories (e.g., Afifi & Steuber, 2009; Greene, 2009), the interpersonal process model (Reiss & Shaver, 1988), and work-life literatures to extend disclosure theorizing through an examination of the work-related predictors of disclosure decision making and the interpersonal, relational, and career outcomes associated with expecting mother’s disclosure experiences. The APDM identified both individual-level (e.g., perceived career risk) and organization-level (e.g., structural support) predictors for the specific types of disclosure strategies women used to inform their supervisors that they were pregnant. The APDM also tested two mechanisms (i.e., disclosure efficacy and anticipated disclosure strategy) as potential mediators between predictors and enacted disclosure strategies at T2 (see Figure 2). The OPDM built upon findings of the APDM to examine the association between enacted disclosure strategies and relational, psychological, and career outcomes while testing the role of perceived supervisor responsiveness as both a moderator and mediator to these effects (see Figure 3). Results of data analysis (N = 131) revealed that perceived organizational support and perceived risk influenced expecting women’s engagement in specific disclosure strategies at T2 through differing mechanisms (see APDM). Additionally, results suggest that the different disclosure strategies that women enacted at T2 were significantly associated with expecting women’s career, relational, and psychological outcomes (see OPDM). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Reciprocal Negative Disclosures: An Application of Expectancy Violations Theory

Social support can dramatically improve an individual’s ability to confront and negotiate stressful life changes, and self-disclosure is one means through which individuals can create and maintain interpersonal relationships that can result in that much-needed social support (Cohen, Mermelstein, Kamarck, & Hoberman, 1985; Cohen & Wills, 1985; Cobb, 1976). However, during communication the relationship between the people interacting can influence what disclosures adhere to the communicators’ expectations and what types of disclosures violate those expectations. Experiencing a communication expectation violation can impact (negatively or positively) individuals’ perception of both their peer and the interaction itself (Burgoon, 1978). This study utilized Expectancy Violations Theory (EVT) to examine graduate students’ expectations of reciprocal negative disclosures with their peers. Within the academic context it is important to better understand the disclosure expectancies that graduate students have of their peers. This is because self-disclosure can serve as a key means by which students develop interpersonal relationships and gain social support from one another as they navigate the challenges of graduate school and the organizational culture of their programs. No literature exists that utilizes expectancy violations theory to examine the impact that violating organizational cultural expectations regarding workplace disclosures regarding workload and mental health has upon graduate students’ relationship with their peers. To fill this gap, this study recruited 181 graduate students to participate in an online experiment regarding disclosure expectancies. Analysis of the data indicated that positive valence violations of RND regarding mental health were not perceived as more unexpected than positive valence violations of workload RND; relational quality did not correlate with expectedness of negative valence violations; negative valence mental health violations correlated with lower rates of perceived equality in relational communication than neutral and positive valence violations; and positive and neutral valence violations positively correlated with higher levels of perceived similarity and trust than negative valence violations. This finding indicates that not only does engaging in RNDs serve as a means of validating graduate student experiences regarding workload and mental health, but it may help students develop relationships with their peers. Failing to engage in RNDs may negatively impact perceptions of equality.CommunicationMastersUniversity of New Mexico. Dept. of Communication and JournalismBentley, JoshuaGinossar, TamarShields, Juli

“Well, I’m Going to Have a Baby”: Navigating Safety, Stakeholders, and Strategy in Workplace Pregnancy Disclosures

This study explores how 92 women disclosed their pregnancies in the workplace. Examining workplace pregnancy disclosure broadly rather than taking a dyadic approach (e.g. employee to supervisor) highlighted tensions and outcomes associated with simultaneously navigating disclosures to multiple colleagues and supervisors. Data analysis revealed four themes: (b) timing safely, (c) diffusing selectively, (d) controlling gatherings, and (e) crafting conversational tones. Findings situate workplace pregnancy disclosure as a dynamic multi-stakeholder process. Women’s accounts suggest that risk is understood as linked to potential future disclosures and the importance of emotion in crafting disclosure interactions