Strong Black Woman Schema and Psychological Distress: The Mediating Role of Perceived Emotional Support

Abstract

The Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema has been associated with injurious health consequences among African American women. However, research is needed to identify the mechanisms implicated in the SBW schema that contribute to these negative outcomes. The present study investigated if perceived emotional support mediated the link between the SBW schema and psychological distress among African American women. Data were collected from 158 participants from across the United States, ages 18 to 59. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro function. Perceived emotional support partially mediated the link between the SBW schema and psychological distress. The SBW schema was also directly associated with decreased perceived emotional support and increased psychological distress. Findings support the role of the SBW schema in African Americans women’s psychological distress. Future research directions and clinical implications are discussed.