An exploration of the strong black woman schema and sexual functioning among black women in the United States: “strong ain’t always sexy”

Abstract

Black women are remarkable. Yet, despite their significant contributions to society, they are tasked with navigating a world that marginalizes their identity. To cope with racialized sexism and historical trauma, Black women have internalized the Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema, which emphasizes strength, independence, and caregiving. Although the SBW schema has served as a survival mechanism, it has also had unintended consequences on the physical and mental health of Black women. Existing at the intersection of mental and physical health, it is reasonable to hypothesize that sexual health, specifically sexual functioning, is also subject to the negative effects of internalizing the SBW schema. However, the relationship between sexual functioning and the SBW schema internalization has not been explored. This dissertation investigates the relationship between SBW schema internalization and sexual functioning among Black women in the United States. To explore this relationship data from the BeWell Project was used. SBW schema was measured using the Giscombe Superwoman Schema Questionnaire (G-SWS-Q) and sexual functioning was measured using the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ-14).