Archived

This content is available here for research, reference, and/or recordkeeping.

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-4340-3401

Date Available

5-18-2025

Year of Publication

2023

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

Faculty

Laura Escobar-Ratliff

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Black women’s mental health continues to go largely underrepresented. Black women are seen as having many protective factors such as their faith communities, family and friends, and what others see as strength and resilience. A review of the literature depicts Black women as traditionally being caretakers, nurturers, and depicted as strong (Castelin & White, 2022). Because of this perception, terms such as the Strong Black Woman Schema and the Black Superwoman Phenomena are what many equate Black women with. This scholarship instead shows how associations such as these impact Black women negatively and impose additional stigma and hardship. Research shows that Black women are at higher risk of self-isolation, are reluctant to seek help, and are more susceptible to misdiagnosis than their White counterparts, which widens the gap of disparities in mental and physical healthcare (Castelin & White, 2022; Nelson et al., 2021). Lack of adequate mental health services and healthcare results in higher rates of stress-induced physiological ailments such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, cervical cancer, anxiety, depression, and Posttraumatic Disorder (PTSD) among others (Avent Harris, 2021; Chinn et al., 2021; Ervin et al., 2021; Nelson et al., 2021). This scholarship further examines the unique stressors that make up the lived experiences of Black women such as income disparities, single parenthood, sexism, racism, classism, and heterosexism (Jones & Guy-Sheftall). A review of the literature shows various factors contributing to the reluctance of help-seeking behaviors among Black women. These factors include past help-seeking experiences (e.g., dismissive providers, discrimination, misdiagnoses, culturally inappropriate treatment approaches), cultural upbringing (e.g., relying on faith, turning towards the church, avoidance), and stigma (e.g., racialized/gendered labels, vulnerability, weakness) (Jones & Guy-Sheftall, 2015; Jones & Warner, 2011; Liao et al., 2019; Nelson et al., 2021). Black Feminist Thought is incorporated to further contextualize this issue and how this framework provides a voice to Black women from their own perspectives. This scholarship further examines community coalitions and how the foundation of such coalitions will be effective for linking Black women and other marginalized populations with culturally appropriate providers and work towards meeting these underrepresented groups where they are. The practice application of this scholarship discusses the need for standardized cultural competence training as a requirement for licensure in the field of social work and other helping professions. The benefits of incorporating cultural competence and humility training for new and current practitioners are demonstrated in the case example of Sabrina. This scholarship concludes by discussing implications for social work practice while demonstrating the need for further research in this area.

Keywords: Black women, mental health, community coalitions, cultural competence

April R. Edmonds

(Name of Student)

05/18/2023

Date

Download

Share

COinS