Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Relations Between Prior Racial Microaggressions, Expat Motivation, And Life Satisfaction Among African American Expat Women In Mexico, Patricia Keller

Dissertations

Microaggressions refer to subtle forms of racism that occur in everyday interactions, often conveying hostile or demeaning messages. These experiences can have a negative impact on the psychological well-being and life satisfaction of African Americans. However, there is a lack of research that explores the relationship between microaggressions and the life satisfaction of African American women who have relocated abroad. Additionally, little is known of the contemporary motivations for expatriation of African American women. A review of African American historical migration, study abroad participation, and tourism lays the framework for examining recent expatriation. The purpose of this study was to …

Strong Black Woman Schema And Its Impact Among Black Women, Charissa Simon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the impact of the Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema on the mental health and help-seeking behaviors of Black/African American professional women, contributing novel insights to existing literature. Despite possessing access and financial means for mental health services, a strikingly low rate of Black/African American professional women seek such resources. The study was grounded in intersectionality theory and the self-silencing theory. Eleven Black/African American professional women participants volunteered. Thematic analysis illuminated common barriers including pride, distrust in the mental health system, a strong inclination towards self-reliance, feelings of being misunderstood, and a lack of emotional support. …

Understanding Complicated Grief, Resilience, And Coping Skills In African American Women: A Phenomenological Study, Gyna M. Grant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Complicated grief can have an impact on the resiliency and coping skills of African American women in ways that can be damaging in their daily life routines. Research studies have focused on the female population affected by complicated grief, but none of these studies have looked specifically at the African American female population. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences and resiliency of African American women coping with complicated grief following significant loss utilizing an open-ended survey. The population for this study was African American women, living in the southern areas of Connecticut, who …

Wellness & Mindfulness For Black Women: A Transformative Four-Day Retreat, Kimberly Peavler

Mindfulness Studies Theses

In a world fraught with systemic injustices, where the intersecting forces of racism and misogyny

weigh heavily on the lives of Black women, there is a growing need for spaces of empowerment,

healing, and self-discovery. This thesis embarks on a profound journey into the transformative

potential of a culturally grounded four-day mindfulness and well-being retreat by creating and

presenting an experience explicitly tailored for Black women. The retreat is meticulously

designed to resonate with Black women's cultural and spiritual backgrounds. It uniquely fuses

Kemetic Yoga™ practices, mindfulness techniques, and candid discussions to dismantle

systemic oppression. The retreat provides a sanctuary …

Black Women's Desire For Love And Connection: What Is Ref Debt?, Joyice Robinson Myers

Education Graduate Presentations

This developing study explores the dating experiences of millennial Black women with Black men, aiming to understand their perspectives and the challenges they face in forming romantic relationships. Drawing on data from eight unstructured interviews with cisgender, heterosexual Black women, this research identifies key themes related to intimacy, emotional well-being, and financial contributions within relationships. The concept of Relational, Emotional, & Financial (REF) Debt is examined, highlighting how historical and systemic factors continue to impact dating and forming Black relationships. Initial findings reveal that Black women navigate dating with concerns about relationship quality and emotional depth, influenced by systemic racism …

Promoting Mammography Screenings In African American Women: Media, Church, And Health Providers, Lasonya Little, Debra C. Wallace, K.Jay Poole

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Due to the underutilization of screening mammography, African American women (AAW) are more likely to experience negative health outcomes after receiving a late-stage breast cancer diagnosis than White Women (WW). The purpose of this article is to examine the roles of the media, health community and the African American church and pastor and their potential impact in AAW screening decisions. Fifteen AAW, ages 45 and older, were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Most women agreed the African American pastor and church as well as the health community, and media are an integral part of their lives. Therefore, specific …

The Lived Experiences Of Single African American Women With Postbaccalaureate Degrees, Tonia Pope

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to understand the lived experiences of single African American women over 30 with postbaccalaureate degrees. The guiding theories were Patricia Collins's Black feminist thought, embracing notions of resistance for African American women as agents of knowledge, and Kimberle Crenshaw's intersectionality theory, highlighting specific forms of intersecting oppression, such as race and gender, and examining the interconnection. The central research question was, "What are the lived experiences of single African American women with postbaccalaureate degrees?" Purposeful and snowball samplings were used to recruit 15 African American women with a master's, doctorate, or professional degree. The study …

Religiosity In Drug Use And Addiction Among African American Women: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Felice Saleem

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the influence of religiosity on experiences in Celebrate Recovery (CR) groups for African American (AA) women in Central Georgia. AAs die from drug overdoses at rates that exceed all other racial groups in the United States. Although many treatment options exist, they remain largely ineffective at helping people addicted to drugs sustain sobriety. Religiosity has been shown to influence quality addiction treatment access. The theory that guided this study was Parsons’s classic structural-functional analysis of religious organization theory because it describes religion as an integrated system of beliefs or practices …

Examining The Psychosocial Impacts Of Transgenerational Trauma: A Phenomenological Study Of Parenting Styles Among African American Women, Sandra Maria Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to examine the psychosocial impacts of unresolved grief and trauma within the dynamics of parenting styles of African American women. The theories used to guide this study include family systems theory, first introduced by Murray Bowen in the 1950s, and attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby in 1969, as they intersect and provide a foundation for understanding emotional bonds, social relationships, and parent-child attachment wounds at the core. This phenomenological qualitative study answered the following central research question: “How has trauma exposure affected African American women’s awareness of their traumas within their lived experience and …

African American Women And Social Support Networks To Overcome The Strong Black Woman Schema And Depression, Teia Jelisia D. Clements

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness disorders within the United States are on the rise. Researchers have indicated that African Americans are less likely to seek mental health compared to European Americans. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand how social support networks influence African American women between the ages of 25 and 50 in addressing the strong Black woman (SBW) schema and depression. A conceptual framework consisting of the SBW collective theory guided the study. A purposive sample of 16 African American women who use social support networks to address the SBW schema and depression was obtained through flyers posted …

African American Women And Social Support Networks To Overcome The Strong Black Woman Schema And Depression, Teia Jelisia D. Clements

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness disorders within the United States are on the rise. Researchers have indicated that African Americans are less likely to seek mental health compared to European Americans. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand how social support networks influence African American women between the ages of 25 and 50 in addressing the strong Black woman (SBW) schema and depression. A conceptual framework consisting of the SBW collective theory guided the study. A purposive sample of 16 African American women who use social support networks to address the SBW schema and depression was obtained through flyers posted …

Paper Gowns, Cold Hands, Or Something Else? Black Women's Barriers To Gynecologic Screening, Nadia Ayesha Sesay

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Cervical cancer mortality burden is carried disproportionately by African American women. Early indicators of cervical cancer are identified through prevention screening, a procedure typically performed by a gynecologist. Ideally, the patient group with the most severe mortality would likewise be the group with the most robust communication exchange with their physician to prevent cervical cancer incidence. However, a slew of factors contributes to continued mortalities among Black women. This study uses semi-structured interviews (n=10) and the health belief model to examine one barrier to Black women’s prosocial behaviors regarding routine gynecologic care—awkwardness, which here is conceptualized as social anxiety. The …

Physical Intimate Partner Violence Of African American Women: Promising Practices And Pitfalls In Treatment, Melissa Erinn Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

Intimate partner violence is a serious health concern among African American women. It is estimated about 41% of African American women experience physical violence from an intimate partner. A number of risk factors, as well as cultural and contextual dynamics (e.g., gendered racism, low socioeconomic status, cultural norms, exposure to family violence, as well as cultural mistrust of the healthcare and legal systems), are associated with the high prevalence rate of African American women experiencing physical abuse. Due to the unique challenges that African American women survivors of partner violence often experience, there is a gap in the current literature …

Empowered Presence: Theorizing An Afrocentric Performance Of Leadership By African American Women, Sharon Wamble-King

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There is a paucity of theorizing concerning leadership enactments performed by African American women. The performances have been marginalized and obscured within the Western leadership canon as they fall outside its epistemological boundaries; they have also been sidelined within Critical Leadership Studies. This study employed Afrocentricity as a decolonizing paradigm and Africology as the research methodology to describe and define a leadership phenomenon enacted by African American women. Setting aside Western conceptions of leadership, focus groups of African American women examined video excerpts of Africana women’s oral performances through an Africological lens. Participants’ Afrocentric-oriented perceptions sparked collective storytelling and Meaning-Making …

A Phenomenological Study On Trauma And Binge Eating Disorder Among African American Women In The State Of Virginia, Vester Appiah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The primary goal of this research was to investigate trauma and binge eating disorders among African American women. This study is related to numerous research assessments on disordered eating even though they have majorly focused on binge eating among European American women, thus ignoring the African Americans. However, the investigation aimed to build on the previous research studies by conducting a more in-depth exploration of the adverse impact experienced by the minority groups and how traumatic events contribute to the situation. Besides, culturally specific models of binge eating among African American women were conducted in trauma survivors and possible mechanisms …

The Self-Esteem Of African American Women: The Impact Of Black Church Attendance, Deborah M. Wilson, Jessica D. Davis, Carol Parker, Candy Ratliff

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of church involvement on African American women’s self-esteem. Specifically, this study was concerned with church attendance and the variable education on the total self-esteem scores of African American women. An Ex-Post Facto Research Design was used to collect and analyze the data. Two instruments were used to collect data for the study: The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI) and a demographic questionnaire. The CSEI is adjudged to have excellent validity and reliability coefficients (Coopersmith, 1987). The data were tested through the application of the One-Way Analysis of Variance, the t-Test of …

Perspectives Of African American Women About Barriers To Breast Cancer Prevention And Screening Practices: A Qualitative Study, Abosede F. Obikunle, Bosede Ade-Oshifogun

Faculty Publications

Breast cancer is a severe illness that often has fatal consequences. Adherence to the recommendations for breast cancer surveillance is poorly practiced among African American women. The study aimed to identify barriers to preventative screening for breast cancer among African American women (AAW) using a qualitative research design. We explored the influence of personal barriers, stereotypes, socioeconomic status, culture, attitudes, and beliefs on African American women's behavior regarding breast cancer screening. Fourteen African American women were interviewed. Data analysis was completed with Interpretative Phenomenology Approach (IPA). This study's findings demonstrated that African American women perceived the barriers to breast cancer …

Missed Opportunities In Social Media To Reduce Maternal Health Disparities For Black Women, Nerissa George

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Pregnancy-related maternal morbidity and mortality disproportionately affect Black women more than their White counterparts. Black pregnant women are more likely to omit or engage in prenatal care late than White women. Social media is an essential source of pregnancy-related information and shows it effectively improves pregnancy knowledge. Greater than 80% of Black women own a mobile device, and some data demonstrate that Black women use social media for pregnancy-related information. However, little is known about social media use during pregnancy for this population. Several gaps exist about what maternal health content is available on social media, how Black women use …

I'Ll Just Weight On The Lord: Spirituality And Health Behaviors In Obese African American Women, Andrea S. Poynter, Florence M. Weierbach, Deborah L. Slawson, Jean Hemphill, Georgita T. Washington

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Obesity is one of the fastest growing health concerns impacting all racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups in the United States of America. More than one-third of the U.S. adult population is classified as being obese (Obesity Society, 2021). Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in all races and genders within the US with African American women comprising a majority of those impacted by this chronic health condition. Obesity rates are well documented within the literature but what is lacking is the role spirituality may play in obese African American women and their health behaviors. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological …

I'Ll Just Weight On The Lord: Spirituality And Health Behaviors In Obese African American Women, Andrea S. Poynter, Florence Weierbach, Deborah Slawson, Jean Hemphill, Georgita T. Washington

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Obesity is one of the fastest growing health concerns impacting all racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups in the United States of America. More than one-third of the U.S. adult population is classified as being obese (Obesity Society, 2021). Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in all races and genders within the US with African American women comprising a majority of those impacted by this chronic health condition. Obesity rates are well documented within the literature but what is lacking is the role spirituality may play in obese African American women and their health behaviors. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological …

A Correlational Investigation Of Father Emotional Presence And Gender Role Identity In African American Women, Malika Dandridge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The psychological well-being and gender role development of a woman is greatly affected by the emotional presence of her father growing up. Until recently, most of the research on father-daughter relationships has been done on Caucasian working-class families, and very little has been done on father-daughter relationships in the African American community. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of a father’s emotional presence (dependable, involved, engaged) and uncover whether this type of presence was correlated with a woman’s gender role identity among African American women aged 18 years of age or older. The socioeconomic status (working …

Experiences In Informal Mentoring Among African American Women In Management, Alexandria Simone Samuels-Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of African American women representing senior management and executive positions within nonprofit organizations due to organizational culture, gender stereotypes, and failure to capitalize on the talents of women in general. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the informal mentoring experiences of African American women employed as managers for over two years in nonprofit organizations. Research has suggested the need for further study of on-the-job mentoring and its impact on employees’ job satisfaction and opportunities to advance within an organization. The theoretical framework that guided the study was social exchange theory, which is …

Overcoming Stress And Anxiety: Examining The Impact Of Fixed Vs Growth Mindsets Amongst African American High Achievers, Julie Sumner

Theses and Dissertations

A rapidly increasing number of Americans suffer from stress and anxiety (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2018; American Psychiatric Association, 2020). It is even more prominent among stress afflicted adults now that we are experiencing civil unrest and a pandemic. Without tools to implement and maintain a growth mindset, those who suffer will struggle with negative thoughts, behaviors, and results (Bergland, 2017). The purpose of this research is to disrupt the cycle of negative energy that leads to social ills and fixed mindsets by developing a structured method to practice positive thinking and goal achievement. This qualitative transcendental phenomenological …

The Effect Of Travel Burden On Depression And Anxiety In African American Women Living With Systemic Lupus, Ashley A. White, Brittany L. Smalls, Aissatou Ba, Trevor D. Faith, Viswanathan Ramakrishnan, Hetlena Johnson, Jillian Rose, Clara L. Dismuke-Greer, Jim C. Oates, Leonard E. Egede, Edith M. Williams

Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

The United States has a deficit of rheumatology specialists. This leads to an increased burden in accessing care for patients requiring specialized care. Given that most rheumatologists are located in urban centers at large hospitals, many lupus patients must travel long distances for routine appointments. The present work aims to determine whether travel burden is associated with increased levels of depression and anxiety among these patients. Data for this study were collected from baseline visits of patients participating in a lupus study at MUSC. A travel/economic burden survey was assessed as well as the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) and …

Bridging The Gap, Jerenita Sokan

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Relationships are very important in our everyday life, especially in the medical field. Doctors tend to be the determining factor for many patients when it comes to life or death, and the patient requires a positive doctor patient relationship for many reasons. A good relationship is very important to foster trust thus creating a welcoming environment leading to more people taking steps to get help. However, when the doctor patient relationship is broken negative results are yield. Today the relationship between African American women and doctors is one that is broken and drifting further away from what is viewed as …

The Link Between Social Media Usage And Natural Hair Discrimination, Alia Wells

XULAneXUS

Since slavery, African Americans have been negatively impacted by Eurocentric beauty standards in America which favors the White majority. This has caused for natural hair to be discriminated against for centuries. As time has passed, African Americans have learned to appreciate their culture, beauty, and hair. The Natural Hair Movement on social media has improved society’s view on natural hair, but Eurocentric beauty standards are still very much present on all media platforms. I hypothesize that a lot of time spent on social media negatively influences views on natural hair compared to non-natural hair on African American women. Participants are …

Maternal Healthcare Experiences Of African American Women In Milwaukee : A Relational Dialectics Perspective, Comfort Tosin Adebayo

Theses and Dissertations

Black women are experiencing pregnancy-related complications at a significantly higher rate than women of other races in the U.S., as Black women are three to four times likely to die from pregnancy-related complications compared to non-Hispanic White women (CDC, 2019a). I applied relational dialectics theory (Baxter, 2011), a critical communication theory, to examine dominant and marginalized discourses that are present in women’s talk about maternal care. I conducted interviews with 31 African American women living in Milwaukee county, Wisconsin. Women narrated their pregnancy stories, noting how they constructed meaning through the interactions they had with healthcare providers. Through a contrapuntal …

Collateral Consequences: The Experiences Of Black Women With Incarcerated Loved Ones, Keiondra Jné Grace

Dissertations

A wealth of research exists that considers the causes of mass incarceration, particularly how it has shaped crime narratives and the life courses of Black men and Black women that experience imprisonment. Scholars have also explored the collateral consequences of incarceration for families and communities in general, but mentioning that Black families and communities in particular are disproportionately impacted by mass incarceration. Despite the documented impact of incarceration on families, and the acknowledgement of the toll mass incarceration has on Black communities—the social cost of mass incarceration in the lives of Black women whom have not experienced incarcerated is yet …

The Development Of A Culturally-Informed Cervical Cancer Screening And Prevention Mhealth Intervention For African American Women., Ariel Washington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Significant strides have been made in reducing the burden of cervical cancer and HPV. Between pap smear screenings and HPV vaccinations, there has been a reduction in cervical cancer incidence in the United States. Unfortunately, those reductions have not been experienced by all ethnic groups. Cervical cancer disparities are a threat to the health of African American women, and innovation in education and the healthcare experience is needed to eliminate this threat. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a culturally tailored intervention using mHealth services to improve cervical cancer and HPV knowledge. Methods: The development and evaluation of …

Context Matters: Construct Framing In Measures Of Physical Activity Engagement Among African American Women, Stephanie M. Mcclure, Travis Loux, Enbal Shacham, Eileen Gillespie, Denise Hooks-Anderson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Assessment of psychosocial factors influencing health behavior typically privileges conceptual consistency (framing constructs similarly across contexts) over conceptual specificity (context-specific framing). Modest statistical relationships between these factors and health behaviors, and persistent racial disparities in health outcomes raise questions about whether conceptually consistent framing fully captures relevant predictors. Ethnographic studies suggest not - that perceptions influencing health behaviors are multifaceted and contextual. To test this, we added items querying contextualized predictors of intention to engage in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) to a Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)-based survey and examined the psychometrics of the adapted subscales. We measured internal consistency …