Reddit After Roe: A Computational Analysis of Abortion Narratives and Barriers in the Wake of Dobbs
arXiv:2603.22566v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization reshaped the reproductive rights landscape, introducing new uncertainty and barriers to abortion access. We present a large-scale computational analysis of abortion discourse on Reddit, examining how barriers to access are articulated across information-seeking and information-sharing behaviors, different stages of abortion (before, during, after), and three phases of the Dobbs decision in 2022. Drawing on more than 17,000 posts from four abortion-related subreddits, we employed a multi-step pipeline to classify posts by information type, abortion stage, barrier category, and expressed emotions. Using a codebook of eight barrier types, including legal, financial, emotional, and social obstacles, we analyzed their associations with emotions and information behaviors. Topic modeling of model-generated barrier rationales further revealed how discourse evolv
arXiv:2603.22566v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization reshaped the reproductive rights landscape, introducing new uncertainty and barriers to abortion access. We present a large-scale computational analysis of abortion discourse on Reddit, examining how barriers to access are articulated across information-seeking and information-sharing behaviors, different stages of abortion (before, during, after), and three phases of the Dobbs decision in 2022. Drawing on more than 17,000 posts from four abortion-related subreddits, we employed a multi-step pipeline to classify posts by information type, abortion stage, barrier category, and expressed emotions. Using a codebook of eight barrier types, including legal, financial, emotional, and social obstacles, we analyzed their associations with emotions and information behaviors. Topic modeling of model-generated barrier rationales further revealed how discourse evolved in response to shifting legal and cultural contexts. Our findings show that emotional and psychological barriers consistently dominate abortion narratives online, with emotions such as nervousness, confusion, fear, and sadness prevalent across discourse. By linking information behaviors, barriers, emotions, and temporal dynamics, this study provides a multi-dimensional account of how abortion is navigated in online communities.
Executive Summary
The study 'Reddit After Roe' offers a sophisticated computational analysis of abortion discourse on Reddit in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Leveraging over 17,000 posts across four subreddits, the authors employ a multi-step classification pipeline to identify information types, abortion stages, barrier categories, and emotional expressions. The analysis reveals that emotional and psychological barriers—such as nervousness, confusion, fear, and sadness—consistently dominate online narratives, outweighing legal or financial concerns. The findings illuminate how discourse shifts in response to evolving legal contexts and user experiences across pre-, during, and post-abortion stages. This work contributes a nuanced, multi-dimensional perspective on how reproductive rights discussions unfold in digital spaces.
Key Points
- ▸ Emotional barriers dominate online abortion discourse
- ▸ Post-Dobbs discourse reflects evolving legal uncertainty
- ▸ Information behaviors correlate with specific abortion stages and barrier types
Merits
Comprehensive Data Scope
Utilization of a large, multi-subreddit dataset (17,000+ posts) enhances generalizability and depth of insight.
Methodological Rigor
The application of a structured codebook for barrier categorization and emotion classification demonstrates methodological precision.
Temporal and Contextual Sensitivity
Linking discourse evolution to temporal phases of Dobbs amplifies contextual relevance.
Demerits
Limited External Validity
Findings are constrained to Reddit users; may not reflect broader societal or offline abortion discourse.
Classification Constraints
Eight barrier categories may oversimplify complex intersectional barriers (e.g., race, disability, socioeconomic status).
Expert Commentary
This research represents a significant advancement in the intersection of computational social science and reproductive rights. The authors successfully bridge the gap between quantitative analysis and qualitative human experience by identifying emotional barriers as central to online narratives—a finding that aligns with qualitative studies on reproductive anxiety. Importantly, the temporal framing—linking discourse to the three phases of Dobbs—demonstrates an innovative application of computational methods to legal-social phenomena. While the limitation of platform specificity is acknowledged, the study’s robustness lies in its ability to generalize insights about the emotional texture of public discourse into broader civic engagement contexts. Future work should explore cross-platform comparisons and incorporate intersectional lenses to deepen equity-focused analysis. Overall, this paper advances both academic discourse and practical applications in digital health communication.
Recommendations
- ✓ Develop targeted online support modules tailored to identified emotional barriers identified in the study.
- ✓ Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration between legal scholars, social scientists, and platform designers to improve digital health information accessibility and empathy.
Sources
Original: arXiv - cs.CL
