WHAT IS BLACK WOMEN'S MENTAL HEALTH STUDY?
Throughout history, Black women have been pillars of the Black community. They have taken on or had a superwoman persona thrust upon them, and have had to contend with unreasonable expectations and prescribed roles. More recently, they have been called the moral compass of the United States. While there are myriad examples of the ways in which Black women have managed these prescribed roles and expectations with strength, compassion, and grit, Black women have also experienced the deleterious consequences of these expectations and role.
We would like to find out how you are coping. Click here to take the survey
Black women have long experienced a unique position in American society.
They have been subject to the intersecting identities of being female and being Black. Each of those identities alone provides significant challenges, but to be Black and female adds an additional level of complexity and compounds the lived experience. In the best of times, there are challenges related to these group identities resulting from racist and sexist policies, practices, and actions. However, 2020 presented a new type of challenge. In March of 2020 it became widely known that the United States was in the midst of COVID 19, a global pandemic. Later in the spring of 2020, the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor illuminated the global anti-Black racial pandemic.
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About the study...
This study is designed to examine the mental health status and coping strategies of women who identify as Black during the dual health and racial pandemics of 2020 toward the goal of better understanding the effects of these dual pandemics on mental health and functioning, and in order to illuminate potential pathways to healing and resilience. This study is important because Black women have historically been underrepresented within health services research, which has led to generalizations concerning women’s health based largely on non-Black samples, and contributed to a lack of understanding concerning determinants of health and wellbeing.
The study will use social media discourse analysis, electronic survey (multiple administrations at predetermined intervals), focus groups, and interviews.
Survey
If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to do all of the following:
1. Complete the electronic consent for an electronic survey. You can read the consent form HERE before you begin the survey. The survey will take approximately 15 min to complete. The survey should be taken in a private place using a private browser in incognito mode.
2. Provide your email address, cell phone number (all of which is optional)
3. Asked to share the survey link with others who may be interested in participating in the study. Submitting this information is optional and will be used to invite respondents to participate in subsequent phases of the research study. Additional information on those aspects of the study will be made available on the research website as they are developed and implemented.
The total amount of time that you will be participating in this study is 15 – 20 minutes
Focus Group
1. A subset of survey participants will receive an email soliciting participation in a focus group. They will be provided options based on their age and location (urban vs. rural).
2. They will receive a link (and instructions for configuring their computer for Zoom) to the virtual focus group to be hosted on Zoom. When participants sign up for a timeslot, they will receive the link to sign the consent form at that time.
3. They will participate in a 90-120 minute focus group with 12 to 15 other participants. The focus group will be video and audio recorded to the Cloud via Zoom. The recordings will be transcribed by a professional transcription service or the research team depending upon available resources. One week prior to the focus group, participants will be asked to complete a brief online survey regarding current events that may be relevant to the study (e.g., killing of a Black person, election, vaccine available, etc.
Interview
1. Focus group participants that were particularly informative during the focus groups will receive an invitation to participate in a one on one interview via email and then phone.
2. When participants sign up for a timeslot, they will receive the link to sign the consent form at that time.
3. Interview participants will participate in a 60-90 minute interview via Zoom. The interview will be video and audio recorded to the Cloud via Zoom. The recordings will be transcribed by a professional transcription service or the research team depending upon available resources.
4. Participants will be invited (this will be optional) to submit a picture to be included in photovoice dissemination strategies.
Photovoice
Finally, respondents will be asked to participate in photovoice. Participants who are the most representative of all the respondents in the study will be selected to tell their stories through a visual depiction using photography and stories of their photographs to identify and represent issues that are most important to them. This will be no more than 20 women that exemplify the study's findings. These participants will submit their photographs and stories to the researchers through a Google folder set up specifically for the participant.
Study Participation
This study is a multi-phase study. The first phase is the survey. Please read the consent form and begin the survey if you are interested. We would love to hear from you!
All phases of the study are currently active for Black women in higher education. We are focusing on Black women faculty right now but would like to hear from Black women in all professions soon. We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Survey
Take a moment to read the consent form for the project. We are required to add this to the beginning of the survey since this is a research study.
It looks more daunting than it is. Reviewing it here before taking the survey will ensure that you are aware of the risk and procedures for the study before you begin taking the survey. You will be asked to consent to participation after reading the consent form as part of the survey.
Click HERE to read the consent form.
Click HERE to begin the survey
Interviews & Focus Groups
Do you work in higher education? Are you a Black woman in academia? We want to hear from you! We will be holding virtual focus groups and interviews in Spring 2024. Please submit your information and a researcher will be in touch with you to schedule an interview!
Participants will have a chance to win a 32" Smart TV! Sign up HERE.
Photo Voice
We would like to see your story! We would like to gather images that represent your COVID experiences in your work, community, and personal contexts.
Participants will have a chance to win a 32" Smart TV! Sign up HERE
Meet the Team
DR. JOCELYN TALIAFERRO, MSW
Jocelyn DeVance Taliaferro earned her MSW from Howard University and PhD from the University of Delaware, Biden School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy. She is currently a Professor in the Morgan State University School of Social Work. She is former faculty at NC State University School of Social Work where she served as Director of the Graduate Program (DGP), Director of Field Instruction, and Interim Associate Department Head. In conjunction with her academic career, for over 25 years, she has served in the fields of social work and nonprofit management working or consulting for several nonprofit organizations in Baltimore, Delaware, Ohio, North Carolina, and Washington DC. She has served as Principal Investigator for multiple grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration totaling more than $3M. Jocelyn’s current research interests include Black women’s mental health and teaching using contemporary television. Her teaching is primarily grant writing and program development, social work administration, and research methods in the MSW program at Morgan State.
DR. SARAH ASCIENZO, MSW
Dr. Sarah Ascienzo, LCSW is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at North Carolina State University. Dr. Ascienzo has over 15 years of clinical practice experience with children and families adversely affected by psychological trauma, including work as a trauma-focused clinician in community- and school-based settings and child forensic interviewer. During her clinical career, Dr. Ascienzo specialized in the treatment of complex trauma, and worked extensively with child welfare-involved youth. She also has experience as a trainer and program implementer in the areas of trauma-informed/responsive care, clinical interventions for trauma-exposed youth, and vicarious trauma/secondary traumatic stress. Informed by her practice experience, Dr. Ascienzo's research focuses on mitigating the impact of direct and indirect trauma exposure and building healthy and resilient communities. She utilizes a variety of methodological approaches, and strives to participate in collaborative, culturally competent, community-engaged, and translational research. Her most recent projects have included an analysis of posttraumatic stress symptom response to isolated phases of Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; an exploration of sex- and gender-based differences in meaning making among trauma-exposed youth; and an examination of factors impacting the implementation and sustainability of trauma-focused interventions in community settings.
Coming SoOn
DR. LATASHA WILLIAMS, RD, LD
Dr. Latasha Williams is a Registered Dietitian and Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Sciences at Tennessee State University. As a practicing dietitian for 16, Dr. Williams has witnessed firsthand how effective nutrition interventions can impact chronic disease, food access, health disparities, and mental health. Dr. Williams aims to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams where her knowledge of human nutrition can be used to positively impact communities. In addition to conducting research on food security, Dr. Williams also works with the SISTER Diabetes research project (Sisters Inspiring Sisters to Engage in Relevant (Diabetes) Self-Care). This study seeks to explore and compare two modalities of supporting healthy diets among African American women living with Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Williams holds a Bachelor of Science in Textile Chemistry from North Carolina State University and Family and Consumer Sciences with a Concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics from North Carolina Central University. She obtained a Master of Science degree from Meredith College before returning to North Carolina State, where she earned her Ph.D. in Nutrition Science. Dr. Williams is licensed to practice Medical Nutrition Therapy in North Carolina and Tennessee.
DR. MICHELLE CHAMBERS-ROLLINS
Dr. Michelle Chambers-Rollins is an outpatient mental health therapist, consultant, and researcher. She obtained both her Bachelor and Master degrees from The University of NC at Chapel Hill. Dr. Chambers completed her PhD at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and The University of NC at Greensboro. She is Licensed as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), which allows her to treat those with mental health needs such as depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress disorders. She specializes in providing culturally competent treatment to her clientele, including those who suffer with substance use disorders. She is a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) as well. She believes in raising community awareness and combating the stigma associated with having a mental health or substance use issue. Her work focuses on helping clients change their mindset and thinking patterns to essentially improve overall cognitive schemas (thinking better), which leads to client proactivity. Inclusion of the client's narrative is an essential component of her treatment process. In addition to therapy, workshops and programs are provided for businesses to improve their leadership and self-care efforts.
Dr. LILLIAN HALEY, MSW
Dr. Haley is the President and founder of Haley Evaluation & Research Services (HERS) and began her research career at the National Development & Research Institutes’ (NDRI), Institute for Community-Based Research (ICBR) in Raleigh, NC. Before then, she was a Social Worker providing therapeutic services to families, adolescents, and children. After nearly 15 years in the research industry, including suppler and solicitor experience, Dr. Haley launched HERS to offer Fortune 500 research capabilities and expertise to the government and non-profit sectors. Dr. Haley has a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) in Sociology from Yale University, a Master of Social Work degree (MSW) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Certificate in Substance Abuse studies, and a doctoral degree (PhD) in Applied Social and Community Psychology from North Carolina State University. In addition, she is a Certified Qualtrics CoreXM Expert. She is also a member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA), Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA), National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW)
Dr. SHARLENE ALLEN-MILTON,
Dr. Sharlene Allen-Milton, LCSW-C, CLC, serves as an Assistant Professor of Social Work at a university in Maryland. Dr. Allen-Milton is a Work-Life Management Strategist who helps professional moms who are stressed by competing priorities, experience work-life harmony. She possesses over 18 years working with people who struggle with social-emotional challenges. Dr. Allen-Milton is married and has one daughter. Whether in the role of mother, wife, professor, or coach, Dr. Allen-Milton’s motto and methods are “to educate, equip, and support people to their place of freedom.”
DIAMOND MEADOWS, MSW
Diamond Allen, MSW is a Clinical Psychology doctoral student at East Tennessee State University. Her current research interests include harm reduction, substance use disorders, stigma, and reentry. She is a recent graduate of the NC State University Master of Social Work program, with a concentration in substance use and recovery. Her master's capstone project evaluated patient satisfaction transitioning from in-person to virtual group counseling at a methadone treatment center. Diamond has completed training and education related to substance use prevention and treatment during her time as an Opioid Workforce Expansion Program scholar. She is passionate about providing mental health and substance use services to those in rural communities.
FATIMA ZOHRA HEDADJI, MSW
Fatima Zohra Hedadji, MSW is a recent graduate of the NC State University Master of Social Work program, with a concentration in macro social work and health disparity. Fatima has over 5 years of experience in community engagement, resource dissemination and healthcare program management. Throughout her academic career, Fatima has studied the impacts of socioeconomic status on physical health, state-wide implementation of mental health parity laws, and health service needs of Hispanic/Latinx US Americans with Opioid Use Disorder. Her master's capstone project evaluated the inclusion of Black women in mental health discourse on Twitter throughout 2020. Her most recent experience on research teams has included work in study recruitment strategy and social media management.
MEREDYTHE GALLIHER
Meredythe Galliher is a Senior majoring in Psychology and Sociology at North Carolina State University and will be pursuing graduate studies in Clinical Psychology in the fall of 2024. Her current research interests are in areas related to culturally appropriate interventions and treatments for mental illness and trauma, health disparities, the effects of emotion on memory, and the convergence of psychology and the law. She has been awarded the Board of Trustees
Merit Award, and was a nominee for Governor Robert. W. Scott Leadership award. She is certified in Mental Health First-Aid. Some of her extracurricular involvements include serving as the Student Government President at Caldwell Community College and Technical institute, Vice president of the CCC&TI National Society of Leadership and Success chapter, and mentoring and coaching female student athletes across the state of North Carolina.
"THERE IS AN INCREASING AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE SUGGESTING THAT MINORITY GROUPS ARE BEING AFFECTED DISPROPORTIONATELY"
The following websites can give you more information about Coronavirus and services that may be helpful to you or your loved ones. This is not a complete list of websites relating to Coronavirus. The Black Women's Mental Health Study gives these links for your information, not as an endorsement
Since launching an agency-wide response to the pandemic on January 21, 2020, CDC has been preparing healthcare workers, learning more about how the disease spreads, and supporting state, local, tribal and territorial governments on the front lines of public health.
Mental Health
The following websites can give you more information about mental health and services that may be helpful to you or your loved ones. This is not a complete list of websites relating to mental health. The Black Women's Mental Health Study gives these links for your information, not as an endorsement.
NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.
Racial Justice
The following websites can give you more information about racial justice and services that may be helpful to you or your loved ones. The Black Women's Mental Health Study gives these links for your information, not as an endorsement.
The mission of the NAACP is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the Urban League collaborates at the national and local levels with community leaders, policymakers, and corporate partners to elevate the standards of living for African Americans and other historically underserved groups.
Over the past few years, the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival has connected with communities across this nation to learn from the struggles being waged.