Intergenerational Understandings of Black Women's Mental Health

Abstract

This study delved further into the stigmatizing perception of mental health within the black community by focusing on its understandings in the population of black women. Black women statistically are underrepresented and underutilizing the mental health industry, so this study unearthed reasons behind these numbers through empirical research. From interviews with eight women from three generational cohorts (young adults, professional adults, and older adults), I examined their perspectives on the topic of mental health and how that may have changed over the course of their lives to where they are today. Despite generational groupings, these findings can help researchers and practitioners better understand the reasons behind those statistics and help change the industry as a whole to include black women’s voices.