Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Leadership and Change

This study explored the experiences of African American mental health clinicians' during the intersecting crises of the Black mental health crisis, the highly publicized racial tension tied to extrajudicial violence and over-policing of Black Americans, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic started a global crisis that affected millions of people's physical and mental health and overall well-being. Shared trauma explores the duality of mental health clinicians' personal and professional experiences. Grounded in critical race theory and models of trauma, this study explores Black mental health clinicians' lived experiences and lessons. This is an interpretive phenomenological study with narrative interviews of 10 mental health clinicians who provided services to at least 50% Black clientele before the advent of COVID-19. The study explored how Black mental health clinicians providing mental health care fared, personally and professionally, during COVID-19 and with racial upheaval: How did they adapt their lives and practices? What did they learn personally and professionally during these crises? Data were collected in individual qualitative interviews and analyzed using Saldana's first-cycle and second-cycle thematic coding model. Themes that emerged were (a) anxiety and fear regarding the unknown of COVID-19; (b) anger towards the continued racism and over-policing and killing of the Black community; (c) the importance physical activity and therapy as a clinician as means of self-care (d) connection to others to help with emotional support and the isolation of COVID-19; (e) transitioning to telehealth from in-office clinical services; (f) increase in demand of services, and (g) increase in demand for the expertise of Black clinicians, specifically. Understanding the lived experiences of Black mental health clinicians during these crises informs future practices of clinicians by teaching how to optimize health and well-being for self-care and not (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: J. Beth Mabry Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Fayth Parks Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ameena Kemavor Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Black Studies; Clinical Psychology; Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology; Health Care; Mental Health; Psychotherapy; Social Work

MA, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Black Americans have lower engagement in mental health treatment compared to White Americans due to barriers such as misdiagnosis, mental illness stigma, systematic barriers, and distrust of providers. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a diverse collection of resources, practices and products that have promise in the field of mental healthcare since they are widely used, can be integrated into traditional treatment, and may have fewer barriers associated with them compared to traditional treatment. Additionally, religiosity is a form of CAM that has promise with Black Americans given their relatively greater involvement in faith communities. There is limited research on people's preference for different treatment modalities for mental health. The current study aimed to examine Black and White Americans' preferences for various depression treatment options across modalities (traditional vs. alternative vs. religious vs. none) and factors associated with treatment preference (i.e. race, symptom severity, religiosity). Participants (n= 185; 92 Black Americans, 93 White Americans) were presented with four vignettes describing varying severity of depression symptomatology (i.e., “severity conditions”) and were instructed to indicate their likelihood of using various treatment options in response to each scenario. Factor analysis of treatment modalities indicated four factors of treatment preference: Traditional, Alternative, Religious, and None. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that as symptom severity increased, there was a higher preference for traditional forms of treatment (F(1.958, 356.426) = 57.62; p < .001). Conversely, preferences for alternative treatments increased as symptom severity decreased (F(2.569, 462.506) = 6.679; p < .001). Linear regression revealed that participants who were higher in religiosity had a higher preference for the religious treatment modality in all four severity conditions. Lastly, repeated measures ANOVA and linear regre (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jennifer Taber (Advisor); Joel Hughes (Committee Member); Maria Zaragoza (Committee Chair); Jeffery Ciesla (Committee Member); Dana Miller-Coto (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Health Education

Introduction: Racism plays an important role in the everyday lives of many Black people. These experiences can influence health and health behaviors. Racism can also affect decisions to seek out needed health care. African Americans had more positive attitudes toward seeking professional mental health services compared to other racial/ethnic groups however, they were less likely to utilize these services (Diala et al., 2000). This could be due to many reasons including incidences of racism, a lack of Black mental health professionals, privacy concerns, and religious beliefs. Racial identity also plays a key role in accessing services and as perceived racism increases, intentions to seek counseling decrease (Mosley, 2014). It is important for nurse midwives and other health providers to seek out the help they need for self-care so they can continue to provide high quality care to their patients. Purpose: This study examines whether perceived racism influences self-reported health and mental health help-seeking behaviors of Black nurse midwives and subsequently impacts their perceived ability to provide quality care. The Health Belief Model, a theoretical framework in the field of health that helps explain health behaviors and direct health promotion interventions, will guide the study. The specific purpose of this study is to measure the effect of perceived racism and constructs of the Health Belief Model (perceived barriers to help-seeking, cues to help-seeking) on self-reported health and mental health help-seeking behaviors which could potentially affect the ability of Black nurse midwives to provide quality care to their patients. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing midwives who identify as Black from the American College of Nurse Midwives (N=26). Utilizing the Health Belief Model (HBM), an 86-item questionnaire was developed to gain a better understanding of how perceived racism affects self-reported health, help seeking (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Victoria Steiner (Committee Co-Chair); Mounika Polavarapu (Committee Member); Colleen Taylor (Committee Co-Chair); Barbara Saltzman (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Health; Health Education; Mental Health; Nursing

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2017, Counselor Education (Education)

Counseling and mental health treatment has been in existence for decades. This progressing profession continues to meet the needs of our diverse society. Despite the professions progression, the African American population remains undeserved; therefore, the Black Church and religious leaders have become a resource addressing spiritual, religious, emotional and psychological needs. Although, pastors are often the primary and only source of support for addressing mental health and spiritual needs, pastors are confronted with issues beyond their scope of practice, specifically knowledge surrounding severe pathology and DSM diagnoses (Farrell & Goebert, 2008; Weaver, 1995). Regardless of limited knowledge and skills in mental health, options for a referral by Black pastors for external mental health services are slim and in some cases, nonexistent. As a solution, pastors have implemented their own methods, such as casting out demons and divine healing to address mental health issues in the Pentecostal Church (Belcher & Hall, 2001). Mental health counselors are beginning to view the Black Pentecostal Church as a gateway to reach an undeserved population through the means of fostering collaboration. However, literature suggests reluctance in Black Pentecostal pastors collaborating with mental health counselors (Mollica et al., 1986). The perception of Black Pentecostal Pastors is influential in how they address mental health, and can contribute to their reluctance in referring their parishioners for external mental health services, especially if the presented issue of the parishioner is perceived as a spiritual matter (Petty & Krosnick, 2014). To understand the perceptions of Black Pentecostal Pastors towards mental health and collaborating with mental health counselors, this research investigation used in-depth semi-structured interviews with six Black male Pentecostal Pastors as the main data collection method to address the following questions: 1) What are the percepti (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mona Robinson PhD (Committee Chair); Adah Ward-Randolph PhD (Committee Member); Nikol Bowen PhD (Committee Member); Adrienne Erby PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Counseling Education; Mental Health; Pastoral Counseling

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Health Education

Study One: Purpose. Describe the sexual behaviors, health seeking behaviors, and substance-related risk behaviors of Black college students, identify differences in sexual and health seeking behaviors of Black college students by demographic factors, and identify the substance-related risk factors associated with the sexual health behaviors of Black college students. Methods. Secondary data analysis of the National College Health Assessment survey conducted by the American College Health Association. Participants were delimited to Black undergraduate college students aged 18 to 24 (n = 2,980). Results. A majority of participants (n = 2,184, 78.4%) had never been tested for HIV and there were a few participants (n = 75, 2.5%) that had reported that they're taking PrEP. Less than one percent of participants (n = 18, 0.6%) had been diagnosed with genital herpes, 0.2% (n = 7) had been diagnosed with Hepatitis B or C, and 0.4% (n = 11) had been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Chi-square analysis showed that men were more likely to report having 4 to 10 partners over the past 12 months. Kruskal-Wallis tests showed that 1st year undergraduate students, 18- to 19-year-olds, and participants not in a relationship had a higher average of frequent condom use during vaginal intercourse over the past 30 days. Spearman correlation tests showed negative associations with the last time participants had oral and vaginal intercourse and tobacco and cannabis risk. Conclusions. Additional research that focuses solely on the sexual, health seeking, and substance-related behaviors of Black individuals is needed to better understand the disproportionate rates of STDs and HIV observed. Study Two: Purpose. Describe the overall mental health, substance-related risk factors, and health seeking behaviors of Black college students, identify substance-related risk factors associated with the loneliness and well-being of Black college students, and identify differences in substance-related risk (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Liliana Rojas-Guyler Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Rebecca Vidourek Ph.D. (Committee Member); Keith King Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Health Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

For racial and ethnic minorities, encounters with racism are inevitable, frequent, and present from birth until death. Black women frequently report intense racism experiences in recreational, educational, professional, and medical settings that, for some, are violent and life-threatening. Such experiences often invoke racial stress, which is emotional distress brought on by racial discrimination or racially focused encounters. Research documents that racism and related racial stress are physically and psychologically impairing. Specific associations noted in the literature include anxiety, depression, heart-related conditions, and disease activity. Recent methodological trends have shifted the focus from examining racism to racial stress, given the high frequency of racism experiences. In the existent racial stress literature, few studies investigate its influence on health behaviors. Therefore, our study aims to quantitatively investigate racial stress and its influence on internalizing symptoms and health behaviors in a sample of college-age Black women. Additionally, we aim to explore the intervening influence of racial factors, including racial and ethnic identity, skin tone, and hair texture. Our findings emphasize that racism, along with racial stress, is prevalent among college-aged Black women. We also highlight connections between racial stress and internalizing symptoms, limited physical activity, and marijuana use. Additionally, effects of moderation of skin tone on internalizing symptoms and hair texture on the number of sexual partners were revealed. Clinical implications discussed the larger impact of our findings and highlighted the need to incorporate racial stress assessments in clinical diagnostic evaluations. Directions for future research studies are noted.

Committee: Angela Neal-Barnett (Advisor); John Updegraff (Committee Member); William Kalkhoff (Other); Kelly Cichy (Committee Member); Amy Sato (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2024, Sociology

The mental health of Black Americans is surely impacted by complex racist practices and systems, with ample research on connections between social inequalities and mental health disparities, revealing how social disadvantages and stressors have the power to impact one's mental health. However, within research that is engaging the Black community, there remains a lack of a way to gauge mental health that is inclusive of Black opinions, culture, and expression: Hip-hop music. Given this gap in the existing literature, the current study seeks to answer the following overarching question, “How does hip-hop music discuss and portray the mental wellbeing of the Black community?”. To understand how Hip-hop music engages with mental health dialogues, I qualitatively coded 550 songs from the Billboard “Year-end charts: Hot Rap songs” from 2013 to 2023. Results revealed twelve overarching dialogues related to the causes and consequences of mental well-being among Black Americans including specific outcomes (e.g. depression, suicide, anxiety/stress), race-related stressors (work, court cases, criminal legal contact, death), and coping mechanisms (e.g. substance use, addiction, and religion/spirituality). Results suggest that Hip-hop music serves as a critical site in gauging narratives on negative mental health symptoms and stressors, and strategies used to mediate the impact of both for Black Americans, which requires deeper attention.

Committee: Cynthia Colen (Advisor); Reanne Frank (Committee Member); Rin Rezeck (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Black Studies; Health; Mental Health; Music; Sociology

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2016, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

In today's society, an accurate representation of female minority leadership is needed. This study explored the (a) leadership development of African American women, (b) means and hindrances that African American women leaders met on their pathway to success, and (c) role of resilience among African American women. The current research was guided by the Smith (2010) study; Smith completed research on this subject matter using African American males. The current research used women rather than men but maintained the same methodology. The Consensual Qualitative Research Method (CQR; Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997; Hill et al., 2005) was used to analyze archived interviews of two past African American female presidents of a national diversity mental health association to identify themes and constructs that emerged from the interviews. The themes and constructs were used to identify the leadership development, the means and hindrances, and the role of resilience among African American women. The results of the current study also indicated that (a) positive feedback/success experience, (b) mentorship, (c) good educational experiences (d) early leadership involvement, and (e) attendance at conventions were instrumental for the participants' leadership development. The results of the current research are consistent with the Smith (2010) findings.

Committee: Susan Hawes PhD (Committee Chair); Barbara Belcher-Timme PsyD (Committee Member); Lorraine Mangione PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Education

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Counselor Education

ABSTRACT A Narrative Exploration Into the Intersection of Division I Black Student–Athlete Environment Identity, and Mental Health The study examined narrative counter-stories of 10 Division I Black student–athlete experiences at the intersection of race, gender, sport activism, and mental health while attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs) in the Midwest amid ongoing racial and social injustices throughout the United States. The theoretical frameworks utilized throughout the literature and study were critical race theory, intersectionality, and the ecological perspective, which highlighted gaps in the literature, research, policies, procedures, initiatives, and support systems in place for Division I Black student–athlete environment, identity, and mental health. The sample consisted of participants who are Black student-athletes currently competing an NCAA Division I PWI in the Midwest. Purposeful and snowball sampling strategies were intentionally chosen to effectively recruit a population that is historically harder to reach. The participant's counter-story and analysis followed individual interview analysis and a group analysis through the lens of Fraser's (2004) data analysis phases, both CRT and intersectionality frameworks, and the ecological perspective. Findings from the critical race qualitative narratives suggested there are gaps in adequately supporting Division I Black student–athletes attending PWIs in the Midwest. Furthermore, the participants did not feel acknowledged or validated yet felt somewhat supported. Participants acknowledged challenges including racism, microaggressions, and added pressures at the intersection of race, gender, sport, and advocacy. Division I Black female student–athletes reported adding gender identity to the intersection of race, sport, and activism added another layer of challenges, although those challenges also served as a motivational force to be the representation that is needed throughou (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mei Tang Ph.D. (Committee Member); Antar Tichavakunda Ph.D. (Committee Member); George Richardson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Michael Odio Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Mental Health

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Wright State University, 2020, School of Professional Psychology

Mental health stigma serves as a chronic barrier to help-seeking and in some cases exacerbates mental health conditions (SAMHSA, 2013). Researchers and clinicians have tried many different methods to reduce these negative attitudes. A popular and usually successful method is education on what mental illness is, its causes, prognosis, and the availability and effectiveness of treatment. Large scale educational efforts have not been adequate in addressing these issues. Therefore, studies are being tailored to find stereotypes within specific communities so as to come up with matching educational protocols (Corrigan & Penn, 2015). The current study explored attitudes among African Americans in comparison to Black immigrants concerning mental illness stigma and accessing mental health services and also examined the effect of acculturation on these attitudes. A convenience sample of African American and Black Immigrant adults completed a battery of inventories including the following: A demographic survey, The Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill scale (CAMI), and the Immigrant Bicultural or Multicultural Identity Scale (IBMI). All 68 participants completed the CAMI scale and the demographic survey, and the 44 immigrant participants completed the IBMI scale in addition. Findings indicated that African Americans were equally sympathetic and compassionate as Black immigrants but were more apprehensive of mental health care facilities being located in their neighborhoods. Also, Black immigrants who had lived in the U.S longer endorsed more positive attitudes than the recently immigrated.

Committee: Janeece Warfield PsyD (Committee Chair); Steven Kniffley PsyD, MPA, ABPP (Committee Member); Joann Mawasha PsyD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Mental Health; Psychology

MA, Kent State University, 2019, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

The objective of this study is to explore the experiences of Black women who have or are currently volunteering or working within Black churches. The Black church, a term created to represent the pluralism of Black churches in the United States, became a place of refuge; it was a place for individuals who desired to heal, to strengthen his/her spirit, and to gain tools to fight racism (Cone 1979). The phrase “the Black church” is both a concept and representative of religious institutions; this phrase and the term “church” will be used interchangeably throughout this paper. Thus asking, what are Black women's experiences in the Black church and how do Black women's involvement in the church impact their mental health? Current literature focuses on the protective factors that religiosity and spirituality provide, but it does not encompass Black women's full experiences within the church as it relates to their perceptions of their mental health. The importance of this study resides in our understanding of the complexity of Black women's lived experiences—the social consequences of being both Black and a woman—within sacred spaces. Furthermore, this project will address a gap in literature within the social sciences regarding the status of Black women's mental health, specifically those who dedicate their time serving the church and community. A mixed survey of both open and close-ended questions was utilized to ascertain a deeper understanding of Black women's experiences. Findings from this study suggest that Black women have a complicated relationship with the church as it relates to their mental health and service to their religious communities. The following themes elaborate on black women's give and take relationship: issues of gender inclusivity, stress due to service, visibility in the black church, social support, and the black church's impact on mental health.

Committee: Kamesha Spates (Committee Chair); Rebecca Catto (Committee Member); Clare Stacey (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Wright State University, 2019, School of Professional Psychology

Previous research on gender conflict and strain quantitatively measured traditional masculinity ideology from western societal norms. The current study added to the previous research and qualitatively studied masculinity performance in men from different cultures: Black, Asian, Latino. Results from this study added to masculinity research due to the mixed method approach of both quantitative and qualitative research in males from diverse groups. Information gained from this study enabled masculinity to be operationally defined by different cultural focus groups and compared in order to explore distinct masculinity expression. Information was gained by measuring traditional masculinity ideology quantitatively on the Male Role Norms Inventory-Short Form (MRNI-SF). In addition, the males participated in separate focus groups to provide narratives of their masculinity performance beyond their traditional masculine ideology measured on the MRNI-SF. The current study showed that traditional masculine gender ideology was similar within all males, but how they expressed their masculine ideology appeared different in the Black, Asian, and Latino focus groups. Information from the current study will add to the masculinity research and increase understanding on the complexity of masculinity expression due to the integration of multiple cultural variables. Such knowledge will also enhance the cultural competence of providers and improve mental health resources for diverse men.

Committee: Steven Kniffley Jr. sy.D., M.P.A., ABPP (Committee Chair); Scott Fraser Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member); Chris Modica Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; African Literature; Asian American Studies; Asian Studies; Black Studies; Clinical Psychology; Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology; Gender; Gender Studies; Hispanic American Studies; Hispanic Americans; Latin American History; Latin American Literature; Latin American Studies; Mental Health; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Quantitative Psychology; Social Psychology; Social Research

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2017, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

The contributions martial arts training can make to mental health treatment have scarcely been explored by researchers in psychology. Practitioners of martial arts, such as karate, report that the training improves self-esteem, concentration, and emotional well-being. Several studies have provided empirical evidence in support of these anecdotal reports, but very few have utilized participants who have advanced training in martial arts to examine the emotional impact such training has across time. This study takes a phenomenological approach to studying the emotional effects training has had on master-level martial artists (fourth-degree black belt or higher) in the discipline of karate. Eight participants were interviewed to identify how karate has impacted their personal lives as well as the lives of the students they have trained. The themes identified verify that practicing martial arts increases self-esteem, emotional well-being, memory, prosocial behaviors, and humility. These expert participants also voiced that many of their students – who suffered with a range of emotional conditions – experienced similar benefits from even brief (three to six months) practice of their martial art. The eight karate masters interviewed all report that their martial arts training positively impacted their emotional lives and mental functioning, but empirical research is needed to verify and quantify the positive effects karate training can have on emotional health. This Dissertation is available in Open Access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu and OhioLink ETD Center, http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd.

Committee: Daniel Schwartz Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Christopher Howard Psy.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Christine DiBlasio Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Psychology; Spirituality

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2005, Psychology

This study describes the development of the Measurement of Acculturation Strategies for People of African Descent (MASPAD), a multidimensional instrument designed to assess acculturation strategies (i.e., Traditionalist, Integrationist, Assimilationist, and Marginalist) along the dimension of beliefs and behaviors. Three studies were conducted to describe the development of the MASPAD and to assess its psychometric properties. Data was collected from 497 participants of African descent in Atlanta, Columbus, Los Angeles, and New York City. Confirmatory factor analysis and independent raters provided evidence for the multidimensional structure of the MASPAD. Pearson correlation coefficients supported the purported orthogonality of the MASPAD subscales. The MASPAD was a strong predictor of dimensions of worldview and cultural values. Moreover, the Traditionalist Beliefs subscale interacted with the Global Severity Index to predict confidence in therapist. Future directions for this body of research are discussed.

Committee: Frederick Leong (Advisor) Subjects: