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<p>This mixed-methods study explores how Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) symptoms are depicted in contemporary young adult graphic novels using the DSM-5-TR (2022) framework. Through visual and textual analysis of <i>The Dark Matter of Mona Starr </i>(2020), <i>In Limbo</i> (2023), and <i>Everything is OK</i> (2022), the research identifies common patterns in the portrayal of mental illness in graphic formats. Quantitative results show that although depressed mood was the most frequently identified symptom, cognitive impairment and sleep disturbances exhibited the highest descriptive reliability across all narratives. Qualitative findings highlight a shared visual language—using dark imagery, withdrawal postures, and symbolic metaphors such as hamster wheels or externalized monsters—that makes psychological distress more tangible. By externalizing the disorder as a visible antagonist, these stories separate depression from the protagonist’s identity, reducing self-stigma and establishing a clear visual vocabulary for internal struggles. As a result, these narratives serve as powerful tools for destigmatization, with meaningful implications for various stakeholders, including improved clinical communication and evidence-based insights that help librarians curate resources that foster empathy and mental health literacy.</p>

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Making the Invisible Visible: Graphic Novels as Rhetorical Tools for Destigmatizing Depression in Adolescent and Young Adult Literature

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月24日

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  • William Scott Golightly

摘要

This mixed-methods study explores how Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) symptoms are depicted in contemporary young adult graphic novels using the DSM-5-TR (2022) framework. Through visual and textual analysis of The Dark Matter of Mona Starr (2020), In Limbo (2023), and Everything is OK (2022), the research identifies common patterns in the portrayal of mental illness in graphic formats. Quantitative results show that although depressed mood was the most frequently identified symptom, cognitive impairment and sleep disturbances exhibited the highest descriptive reliability across all narratives. Qualitative findings highlight a shared visual language—using dark imagery, withdrawal postures, and symbolic metaphors such as hamster wheels or externalized monsters—that makes psychological distress more tangible. By externalizing the disorder as a visible antagonist, these stories separate depression from the protagonist’s identity, reducing self-stigma and establishing a clear visual vocabulary for internal struggles. As a result, these narratives serve as powerful tools for destigmatization, with meaningful implications for various stakeholders, including improved clinical communication and evidence-based insights that help librarians curate resources that foster empathy and mental health literacy.