Millicent N. Robinson

The John Henryism hypothesis (JHH) suggests high John Henryism may adversely affect the health of individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES). Although prevalent among Black Americans, its impact on Black women’s mental health across ethnic subgroups remains understudied. Using National Survey of American Life data (2001–2003), a factor analysis and negative binomial regression examined John Henryism patterns and psychological distress among 1,209 African American and 371 Caribbean Black women. Distinct factor structures indicated the need for group-specific versions of John Henryism variables to capture its role within each population. The analysis found no direct link between John Henryism and distress for either group. However, after accounting for sociodemographic factors and stressors, high John Henryism was associated with lower distress among Caribbean Black women. Evidence supporting the JHH was found only among Caribbean Black women, where John Henryism was protective for those with low and moderate SES but unrelated to distress for high-SES individuals.

In the United States, 29–44% of Black women experience postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS), yet few are properly identified and/or connected to mental care services. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine the relationship between maternal functioning and clinical variables (PDS, maternal–infant attachment), racial variable (Black racial identity types—low race salience, assimilated and miseducated, self-hating, anti-White, multiculturalist, and conflicted), and sociodemographic characteristics (relationship status, education, insurance, childbirth type). A total of 116 women living in the southern United States were included in the analysis. Multivariate analyses revealed that Black racial identity (p = 0.02), PDS (p < 0.0001), maternal–infant attachment (p < 0.0001), and educational level (p = 0.03) were independently associated with maternal functioning. This work provides new evidence regarding the role of various clinical and racial factors on Black postpartum women’s adjustment to motherhood. This analysis also adds to the growing body of evidence of reliability for the BIMF in Black postpartum women.

Due to systemic oppression, Black women experience distinct risks across the life course, such as exposure to various stressors that shape lower ratings of self-rated health. This is important given that self-rated health is a stronger indicator of current morbidity and subsequent mortality than physician assessments. However, there has been limited consideration of the role of coping in shaping self-rated health among this group. John Henryism, or high-effort coping, is a culturally relevant coping style that reflects the broader societal, cultural, and historical context that shapes lived experiences of Black populations navigating racism and capitalism in the U.S., and has received limited consideration in health research among Black women. Additionally, less is known regarding how ethnicity shapes John Henryism and health processes among Black women specifically. Therefore, the present study examined the association between John Henryism and self-rated health among African American and Caribbean Black women (n = 1580) collectively, and explored this association among Caribbean Black women specifically, utilizing the National Survey of American Life (NSAL 2001–2003). Findings show that while John Henryism was not directly associated with self-rated health among either group, once sociodemographic characteristics and stress exposure were accounted for, John Henryism was associated with lower odds of fair or poor self-rated health among both groups.

Purpose: Recent research suggests the determinants of and links between psychological distress and psychiatric disorder are distinct among Black Americans. Yet, these associations have not been explored among Black women, despite the unique social experiences, risks, and mental health patterns they face. The present study assessed the sociodemographic and psychosocial determinants of distress and disorder and evaluated the distress–disorder association, including whether it was conditional on sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics among Black women.Methods: Data were from 328 Black women in the Nashville Stress and Health Study, a cross-sectional community epidemiologic survey of Blacks and Whites in Nashville, Tennessee, and was used to assess the correlates of distress (CES-D depressive symptoms scale) and major depressive disorder (MDD; based on the CIDI). Multinomial logistic regression models estimated the extent to which greater distress was associated with higher risk of “chronic” or “resolved MDD”.Results: Stress exposure and marital status were associated with greater distress, while stress exposure and childhood SES were associated with elevated disorder risk. Although increased distress was associated with greater disorder risk, significant interactions indicated these associations depend on differences in age and adult socioeconomic status within this population.Conclusions: This study identifies distinct correlates of distress and disorder and shows that the distress–disorder association varies among subgroups of Black women. Results have important implications for public health research and practice, as they highlight the factors that matter most for the mental health outcomes of Black women.

To clarify the ways in which Black Americans’ experiences of structural racism may influence their mental and physical health in distinct ways, the present study evaluated whether major discrimination moderates the association between depressive symptoms and chronic physical health conditions among this population. t-tests and chi-squared tests of significance were used to determine significant differences between women and men. The association between major discrimination and depressive symptoms was examined by assessing mean depressive symptoms scores across levels of major discrimination. ANOVA tests indicated whether there were significant differences in symptom scores across each discrimination category. Additional t-tests determined significant gender differences within each level of discrimination. Gender-stratified negative binomial models were used, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for the relationship between depressive symptoms, major discrimination, and chronic conditions. Our findings indicated that the association between depressive symptoms and chronic conditions depends on lifetime experiences of major discrimination among Black Americans and varies significantly between women and men. Considering that major discrimination conditioned the depressive symptom-chronic conditions association among our sample, this provides insight into potential pathways for intervention in efforts to offset the detrimental mental and physical consequences of experiencing racism.

Research shows that John Henryism, a high-effort, active coping style, is associated with poor physical health, whereas others suggest it may be psychologically beneficial. As such, it is unclear whether John Henryism represents a health risk or resource for black Americans and whether its impact varies across sociodemographic and gender groups. The present study used data from a representative community sample of black Americans (n = 627) from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (2011–2014) to clarify the physical and mental health consequences of John Henryism by assessing its relationship with depressive symptoms and allostatic load (AL). Results indicate that John Henryism is associated with increased AL scores and fewer depressive symptoms. Additionally, the association between John Henryism and AL is conditional on socioeconomic status. Study results underscore the importance of evaluating both physical and mental health to clarify the health significance of John Henryism among black Americans.