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Racism and Sexism as Correlates of African American Women’s Psychological Distress

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Abstract

Historically, researchers have neglected the lives of African American women, and very little research has looked specifically at concurrent examinations of multiple oppressions associated with multiple minority identities as predictors of mental health. The current study aimed to increase our knowledge about African American women by examining the relations between external and internalized racism and sexism and African American women’s psychological distress. One hundred sixty participants were recruited through a number of United States’ organizations via the internet. Results indicated that when external and internalized oppression based on race and gender were examined concomitantly, only sexist events emerged as a positive predictor of distress.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-0900, USA

    Dawn M. Szymanski & Destin N. Stewart

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  1. Dawn M. Szymanski
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  2. Destin N. Stewart
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Correspondence to Dawn M. Szymanski.

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Szymanski, D.M., Stewart, D.N. Racism and Sexism as Correlates of African American Women’s Psychological Distress. Sex Roles 63, 226–238 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9788-0

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