Journal article
Black Women as Superwomen? The Mental Health Effects of Superwoman Schema, Socioeconomic Status, and Financial Strain
Social problems (Berkeley, Calif.), v 72(2), pp 759-782
01 May 2025
PMID: 40530389
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Informed by Black feminist thought and intersectionality, Superwoman Schema (SWS) is a construct that captures a collective response of Black women to racial and gender marginalization by highlighting expectations that they exude strength, suppress emotions, resist vulnerability, succeed despite limitations, and help others to their own self-neglect. Using a sample of Black women (N = 390) in early-midlife (between 30 and 46 years old; M = 37.54 years; SD = 4.29), this study integrates the intersectionality framework and the stress process model to examine the independent and interactive effects of SWS endorsement as well as socioeconomic status (SES) and financial strain on Black women's mental health. Study results reveal that SWS dimensions "emotion suppression" and "obligation to help others" are associated with elevated depressive symptoms. In addition, net worth and financial strain, but not traditional measures of socioeconomic status such as education and income, moderate the association between SWS endorsement and depressive symptoms. Specifically, the association between SWS and depressive symptoms is strongest among Black women reporting negative net worth or high financial strain (e.g., not being able to make ends meet). Broader implications and future research directions are discussed.
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Details
- Title
- Black Women as Superwomen? The Mental Health Effects of Superwoman Schema, Socioeconomic Status, and Financial Strain
- Creators
- Christy L. Erving (Corresponding Author) - The University of Texas at AustinIzraelle I. Mckinnon - Emory UniversityCourtney S. Thomas Tobin - Univ Calif Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA USAMiriam E. Van Dyke - Emory UniversityRaphiel Murden - Emory UniversityRenee H. Moore - Drexel University, Epidemiology and BiostatisticsBianca Booker - Emory UniversityViola Vaccarino - Emory UniversityTene T. Lewis - Emory University
- Publication Details
- Social problems (Berkeley, Calif.), v 72(2), pp 759-782
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Number of pages
- 24
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001163636300001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105005769246
- Other Identifier
- 991021860654004721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Sociology