The influence of sensitive health disclosure on liking and likelihood of response in a non-health-related context, Facebook

An online experiment examined the relational outcomes of disclosing sensitive health information in a non-health-related context, Facebook. Facebook users were asked to read a status update that contained a sensitive health disclosure or no disclosure and to imagine that this disclosure was posted by a close friend or an acquaintance. Participants then answered questions about their attributions for their friends' sensitive health disclosure, liking towards their friend, and their likely response to their friends' sensitive health disclosure. Results revealed the more intimate receivers perceived the health disclosure to be, the more liking they reported for disclosers. Liking and dispositional attributions were mechanisms for the disclosure-response process. The more intimate receivers perceived the health disclosure to be, the more they liked disclosers, and the more they reported that they would respond to disclosers. Furthermore, the more intimate receivers perceived the health disclosure to be, the more receivers made dispositional attributions for disclosers, and the more receivers reciprocated and complimented disclosers. Results suggest that liking is associated with receivers’ likelihood of response to sensitive health disclosure, and dispositional attributions are related to confirming responses to sensitive health disclosure. This study emphasizes the importance of liking and attribution for supportive responses to sensitive health disclosure on Facebook. •Sensitive health disclosure is positively related to receiver liking on Facebook.•Receiver liking mediates sensitive health disclosure and likelihood of response.•Dispositional attributions mediate health disclosure, reciprocity, and compliments.•Attributions and liking are mechanisms for supportive responses to health disclosure.