Exploring Help-Seeking Behaviors of Black College Women at Predominately White Institutions: Impacts of the Strong Black Woman Schema

Abstract

Despite the efforts that have been made to normalize mental health in the black community, the stigma of seeking mental health services within the black community persists. This stigma is especially more prevalent on college campuses, where black students appear to be reluctant to seek help for their emotional needs. This study focuses on black college women, their psychological help-seeking behaviors, and how the Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema influences their help-seeking behaviors. The purpose of this study is to identify common themes that contribute to the stigma and reluctance associated with black college women seeking mental health services. Through a qualitative, phenomenological analysis, the researcher interviewed seven black college women to further explore and add to the existing literature on the psychological help-seeking behaviors of black college women who attend PWIs. The findings of this qualitative study revealed seven themes and eight subthemes, shedding light on the factors that shape black women’s help-seeking behaviors at PWIs. The themes that emerged were: (1) Underutilization of College Counseling Services, (2) Reluctance and Barriers, (2a) Cognitive Dissonance, (2b) Cultural and Familial Influence, (2c) Faith and Spirituality as a Barrier, (3) Desire for Cultural Representation and Counseling Competence, (4) Stigma Associated with Help-Seeking in the Black Community, (4a) Weakness, (5) Endorsement of the Strong Black Woman Schema, (5a) SBW Endorsement at PWIs, (5b) Generational Endorsement of Independence and Self-Reliance, (6) Challenges faced at PWIs, (6a) The Expectation of Hard Work, (6b) Covert and Overt Racism, (7) Community and Faith in Coping.