Linguistic markers of emotion in mothers of sickle cell carrier infants: What are they and what do they mean?

Objective: The objectives were to examine emotion-related language in mothers' narratives about newborn screening, and test the correlations between language and self-reported emotion and behavior. Methods: Transcripts of interviews with mothers of infant sickle cell carriers were analyzed with word count software for the prevalence of emotion-related words in narratives about newborn screening. Word counts were compared to population norms for spoken language using one-sample t-tests. Anxiety-related words were correlated with self-reported anxiety and avoidance of genetic testing. Results: 187 transcripts were analyzed, in which there was a higher percentage of anxiety words (m= 38%) than population norms (m= 18%), t(186)=10.59, p < .001, CI= 16-23. Anxiety-related word use was positively correlated with self-reported previous anxiety, r_s(185)= 24, p= 001. Self-reported previous anxiety, but not word use, was correlated with mothers' avoidance of undergoing genetic testing themselves r_s(152)= 25, p= 002. Conclusion: Mothers of sickle cell carrier infants reported anxiety upon learning their child's condition. Anxiety-related words in maternal narratives were correlated with their reports of past, but not present, emotions. Practice implications: Researchers and clinicians should use caution in assuming that word choices reflect state emotions. Self-report methods may be preferable for predicting behavioral outcomes.