Abstract：
Individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder (SAD) are increasingly turning to online support communities for self-disclosure and social support. Despite the extensive body of research on online mental health discourses, the cultural nuances within SAD-related discussions remain underexplored. In this study, we examine the cultural differences in online expression of social anxiety by analyzing individuals\' self-disclosure and support-seeking behaviors in social media posts. Using two-week data (n = 1,681) from two SAD support communities on the Reddit and Douban groups, we used both qualitative thematic analysis and quantitative semantic analysis to discern prevalent themes and linguistic attributes characterizing these online expressions. Our findings not only uncover common themes such as sharing personal experiences and seeking mutual validations in both communities but also identify their divergences, as Western users primarily sought advice and information in posts, whereas Chinese users were more inclined toward networking. Cultural variations in language use were evident, particularly in individuals\' affect and their expression of personal and social concerns. Western users were more likely to convey negative emotions and delve into personal matters related to SAD, whereas Chinese users tended to grapple more with workplace anxieties. This study contributes to the cultural understanding of online mental health discourses and offers insights for crafting culturally sensitive interventions and supports for people with SAD.
摘要：
患有社交焦虑症（SAD）的个人越来越多地转向在线支持社区进行自我披露和社会支持。尽管对在线心理健康话语进行了广泛的研究，与SAD相关的讨论中的文化细微差别仍未得到充分探索。在这项研究中,我们通过分析个人在社交媒体帖子中的自我披露和寻求支持的行为来研究社交焦虑在线表达中的文化差异。使用来自Reddit和豆瓣小组的两个SAD支持社区的两周数据（n=1,681），我们使用定性主题分析和定量语义分析来辨别这些在线表达的流行主题和语言属性。我们的发现不仅揭示了共同的主题，如分享个人经历和寻求双方的相互验证，而且还发现了他们的分歧，因为西方用户主要在帖子中寻求建议和信息，而中国用户更倾向于网络。语言使用的文化差异很明显，特别是在个人的影响和他们对个人和社会问题的表达中。西方用户更有可能传达负面情绪，并深入研究与SAD有关的个人事务，而中国用户倾向于更多地应对工作场所的焦虑。这项研究有助于对在线心理健康话语的文化理解，并为制定对文化敏感的干预措施和对SAD患者的支持提供了见解。
