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Media Representation of Autism in Chinese Official News: A Topic-Modeling-Assisted Discourse Study

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  • Bilin (Belen) Liu
  • Guangyuan (Charles) Yao

Abstract

News dissemination is pivotal in shaping public discourse on important health issues. This study examines the representation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in China’s official English-language newspaper, China Daily . Grounded in Framing Theory, we employ a topic-modeling-assisted discourse analysis on a corpus of 93 articles (409,400 tokens) from 1981 to 2023. The analysis reveals that China Daily strategically frames autism not as a medical deficit but as a challenge of social integration, addressed through narratives of familial dedication, professional intervention, and collective societal support. This constructive portrayal, which starkly contrasts with deficit-focused narratives common in Western media, performs key framing functions by defining problems socially, attributing causes to collective effort, and promoting solutions centered on education and inclusion. The study highlights the strategic role of state-affiliated media in shaping a hopeful public health discourse for a global audience and enriches Framing Theory by linking frame selection to cultural and institutional contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Bilin (Belen) Liu & Guangyuan (Charles) Yao, 2025. "Media Representation of Autism in Chinese Official News: A Topic-Modeling-Assisted Discourse Study," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(3), pages 21582440251, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:15:y:2025:i:3:p:21582440251382553
    DOI: 10.1177/21582440251382553
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