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Anticipatory grief in digital communication: Narratives in hospice care center websites and support group forums = 數位傳播的預期性悲傷: 寧養關懷中心網站與病人支援論壇中的經歷敍述
Principal Investigator
Grant Type
Faculty Development Scheme
Project Code
UGC/FDS15/H04/25
Amount Awarded
HK$512,476
Funding Year
2025
Duration of the Project
24 months
Status
Ongoing
Abstract
This study aims to identify the linguistic features that facilitate emotional expression and connection within the hospice community by analyzing digital narratives shared on hospice care websites and support group forums. The significance of this study lies in its investigation of how language shapes the hospice care experience, particularly in the context of anticipatory grief among terminally ill patients and their carers. The Economist Intelligence Unit ranked the UK as the best country for end-of-life care and Hong Kong 20th out of 80 countries. Based on UK best practices, this proposed study aims to improve the understanding of digital platforms in end-of-life care and provide insights for developing effective hospice services in diverse cultural contexts. We will build a comprehensive text corpus of 1,000 narrative stories of at least 600,000 words from hospice centre websites and support group forums in Hong Kong and the UK. This project will result in the first corpus of its kind offering original insights into linguistic development such as similarities and differences in narrative structure, language use, and attitudinal expressions between these two cultural contexts. This study, grounded in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), will examine key register variables, namely— field (topic), tenor (participant relationships), and mode (communication channel), — to understand their influence on hospice discourse. We will analyze the generic structures and grief stages of the texts for guiding information flow, and we will explore discourse semantics for how meaning is constructed through specific lexical choices. For example, we will focus on the role of conjunctions in establishing coherence, the use of personal pronouns in fostering personalization and intimacy to enhance emotional engagement, and the types of verb processes that convey mental states and actions. Key evaluative resources will also be investigated to reflect the speaker’s stance and attitude toward the experiences of end-of-life care. Using a mixed-method strategy, this project will use corpus statistical analysis methods such as Loglikelihood Ratio and AntConc to extract and analyze linguistic patterns from the corpus data. Based on our pilot study, early observations reveal that narrative structures and expressions of grief and care vary between institutional and individual narratives. Hospice care websites use more formal and structured language, while support group forums have a personal and emotive style. Hong Kong narratives emphasize familial relationships and communal support, while UK narratives may reflect individualistic perspectives. A larger data set analysis may reveal subtle differences in narrative styles and attitudinal expressions between the two regions, revealing significant differences in lexicogrammatical features, structural organization, and interpersonal meanings across digital platforms and cultural contexts. In terms of theoretical and cultural implications, the study can advance the field of SFL by applying its linguistic principles to the analysis of digital narratives in a healthcare setting, particularly the interpersonal metafunction of language in grief narratives. Comparing grief narratives from Hong Kong and the UK will contribute to cross-cultural understanding and tailored support services. Practical and policy implications include assisting health professionals, carers and support groups to understand the various ways in which people express and manage anticipatory grief in digital environments, as well as improving care support services. The research findings will be disseminated through the publication of academic journal articles, conference visits, and seminars, with the intention of stimulating further research and attention in the field of hospice care. The overall aim of this research project is to understand hospice grief and, as encouraged by the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), to promote the wellbeing and healthy living of an ageing population.