A Typology of Postpartum Women's Verbal Communication Behaviors: A Grounded Theory Approach

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of postpartum women's verbal communication practices and to develop a theoretical framework to explain the psychological and social processes underlying these verbal practices.Applying Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory methodology, semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 women within eight weeks of giving birth.The collected data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding procedures to derive conceptual categories and develop a paradigmatic model.The core category identified in the analysis was "Changes in Verbal Communication Practices through Identity Regulation."Postpartum women's verbal practices were not monolithic but varied across emotional awareness, relationship management, psychological mechanisms, and expressive styles.Four main types were identified: positive amicability, ideal expression, emotional outburst, and self-restraint.These results demonstrate that postpartum language is not merely a means of communication but a symbolic and strategic tool for self-awareness, emotional regulation, and identity reconstruction.It also provides a theoretical basis for developing a languagebased counseling and care model that can detect emotional risk signals early and support postpartum women's recovery and growth.Furthermore, analyzing postpartum language within its social context can contribute to academic discourse on maternal identity and the psychological empowerment of women after childbirth.