Next Wave of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome Survivors

This study seeks to deepen our understanding of the survival adaptive behaviors, particularly features of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS), identified by Black women professionals who exist at the margins in academia and society. To date, exploration of posttraumatic growth has not been researched concomitantly with PTSS. By examining these variables collectively, this study’s model provides an original contribution to a growing but insufficient literature on Black women professionals who endure institutional racism. Using the Listening Guide, this study presents data from seven (7) Black women professionals in higher education. The study finds interviewees adopt Angry Black Women and Strong Black Woman schema, and PTSS features as a survival strategy stemming from gender discrimination rooted in proximity to Whiteness and habitual attacks on their professional acumen. Congruently, learnings revealed (1) Identity and Positionality, (2) Generational [In]visibility, (3), Professional Rage Located, and (4) Voices of PPTTG—Prayers, People, Trials, Tribulations and God. Dismantling White Supremacy must center Black women's survival herstories and healing at the intersection of anti-Black racism and hidden systematic policies. Practice models that nuance PTSS trauma-informed assessments, the addition of PTSS to the DSM, and widely accepted African-centered paradigms are essential for this wave of race work

The Role of Coping in the Relationship Between Endorsement of the Strong Black Woman Schema and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Women

The Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema has been consistently linked to negative mental health outcomes among Black women. However, few have begun to explicate the mechanisms by which the endorsement of the SBW schema may influence mental health outcomes. Accordingly, the current study examined coping styles (social support, disengagement, spirituality, and problem-oriented/engagement) as mediators in the association between endorsement of the SBW schema and depressive symptoms in a sample of Black women. Data from 240 Black women ( Mage = 22.0, SD = 4.0 years) were collected assessing SBW schema endorsement, coping styles, and depressive symptoms. Parallel multiple mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS Macro. Of the four coping styles examined, disengagement coping partially mediated the association between greater endorsement of the SBW schema and greater depressive symptoms. Study findings add depth to our understanding of the association between the SBW schema and mental health outcomes and lend themselves to research and clinical implications.

Do black men really love black women? : A qualitative study on how mass media shape black men's perception of black women for long-term romantic relationship -- or not

When confronted with the presence of a Black man in relationship with a non-Black woman whether in media messages or real life, more often than not Black women are also met with feelings of rejection and inadequacy. It is a form of rejection experienced by Black women that is often discussed behind closed doors, within her inner circle, in conversation with other Black women and/or trusted Black male confidantes. It is also a form of rejection that is often left unexpressed or silenced for fear of being labeled an "angry Black woman". When considered from the lens of race, the trope of the "angry Black woman" becomes even more problematic when the landscape of contemporary television media is dominated by non-fiction, reality television programming, featuring Black women displaying socially aggressive behavior. This calls into question whether or not media depictions of Black women further perpetuate the trope of the "angry Black woman" and make her less suitable or desirable for long-term romantic partnership. By taking a qualitative approach to examine media perceptions of Black women, this dissertation concerns itself with situating how colorism as an extension of whiteness, stereotypical media depictions and representations of socially aggressive behavior by Black women in the media all work in concert to further complicate perceptions of Black women as suitable long-term partners in the eyes of others -- specifically Black men. The present study situates the voices of Black men and examines how they read, receive, interpret and make meaning of media messages of Black women in order to better understand their selection and consideration of Black women as suitable partners for long-term romantic relationships in comparison to non-Black women. Taken together through the theoretical frameworks of audience reception theory, symbolic annihilation, and social aggression, the present study investigates how media portrayals of Black women and Whiteness shape heterosexual Black men's perception of Black women and their decision to be in long-term romantic relationship with Black women -- or not. The present study consists of five focus group conversations with Black male participants that reveal the most problematic media messages of Black women in consideration of long-term romantic partnership are those that perpetuate the normalization of the strong Black woman and socially aggressive behavior. Based on lived experiences with Black women, Black men recognize that the trope of the strong Black woman is problematic and misguiding. Black men are also cognizant of the fact that a Black woman's expression of passion is often misinterpreted and perpetuated by the media as anger. However, conversations with Black men further reveal that in spite of media messages, Black men love and advocate for long-term romantic relationship with Black women who they collectively agree are the ideal romantic partner for Black men regardless or shade, hue or skin tone. However, the façade of strength and media depictions of hypermasculinity as propagated in the media and internalized by Black women contributes to a level of tension between Black men and women that oftentimes pushes him away.

Staying strong: Exploring experiences of managing emotional distress for African Caribbean women living in the UK

The “strong Black woman” (SBW) is a Western cultural stereotype that depicts African-heritage women as strong, self-reliant, independent, yet nurturing and self-sacrificing. US research indicates that this stereotype negatively impacts the emotional wellbeing of African-heritage women, while also allowing them to survive in a racist society. UK research has documented the significance of this stereotype in relation to African Caribbean women’s experience of depression around the time of childbirth and “attachment separation and loss”. However, research is yet to explore how UK African Caribbean women make sense of and negotiate the SBW stereotype in relation to their emotional wellbeing more broadly. Using five focus groups, with a total of 18 women, this research explored how these women experienced and managed emotional distress in relation to the SBW stereotype. The importance of “being strong” consistently underpinned the participants’ narratives. However, this requirement for strength often negatively impacted their ability to cope effectively with their distress, leading them to manage it in ways that did little to alleviate it and sometimes increased it. This study offers important implications for understanding the experiences of emotional distress for UK African Caribbean women.

The Strong Black Woman: Insights and Implications for Nursing

OBJECTIVE This discussion paper describes the intricacies of the strong Black woman (SBW) construct and how understanding this construct is significant and relevant within nursing. METHOD This article is a discussion piece that provides a succinct conceptual and historical overview of the SBW construct. It then describes the impacts of this construct before presenting implications as they relate to nursing practice, education, policy, and research. RESULTS The SBW construct is exclusively and routinely applied to Black women. Typically, the SBW construct encompasses five components, which center on independence, caring, and strength. These five components include the obligation to (1) always maintain and present an image of strength, (2) suppress emotion, (3) be self-reliant, (4) succeed despite all odds, and (5) always place the needs [especially comfort] of others above those of oneself. Moreover, the SBW construct posits Black women as possessing superhuman capabilities. The nature of this construct is complex, with some Black women using it as a survival mechanism, and others finding empowerment through this image. Nevertheless, recent research has revealed the harms associated with this image including detriment to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, with the implications extending to Black families and communities. CONCLUSION Understanding this topic is essential in providing support to all Black women in health care and within the Black community—including patients, nurses, faculty, staff, and students. Recognizing the implications of the SBW construct is essential toward ensuring that our care, practices, and policies are not only supportive but also antiracist.