Citation

Jones MK, Hill-Jarrett TG, Latimer K, Reynolds A, Garrett N, Harris I, Joseph S, Jones A. J. Black Psychol. 2021; 47(7): 578-592.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Association of Black Psychologists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/00957984211021229

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

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.

Language: en

Keywords

Black women; coping; depressive symptoms; strong Black woman