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Can denial strategies rebuild trust?

Evidence from a hospital’s statement regarding cancer incidents in the laboratory

ORCiD logo with link | Nanjing Normal University
Published online: 23 March 2026
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/prag.24041.yan
Abstract
This paper explores whether denial strategies can rebuild public trust, using evidence from a hospital’s statement regarding cancer incidents in its laboratory. A discourse analysis of the hospital’s statement reveals that explicit and implicit denial strategies are used to rebuild public trust. Specifically, the hospital uses explicit denial to refute the identity or severity of the affected individuals. Besides, the hospital uses implicit denial to construct a trustworthy image of ability, transparency, and benevolence, thereby addressing public concerns. Further experimental studies indicate that neither explicit nor implicit denial alone is sufficient to rebuild trust. Instead, a combination of both strategies is essential for effectively rebuilding trust. Based on these findings, this paper offers suggestions for rebuilding public trust.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Trust violation and trust repair
    • 2.2Denial as a discursive trust-building strategy
    • 2.3Brief summary
  • 3.Theoretical framework
  • 4.Methodology
    • 4.1Research questions
    • 4.2Data collection
    • 4.3Data analysis
  • 5.Findings
    • 5.1Denial as a trust-rebuilding strategy
    • 5.2Effectiveness of denial strategies
  • 6.Discussion
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
References (42)
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