Cited by 802Racial and Ethnic Identity ResearchGender, Health, and Social InequalityHealth disparities and outcomes

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 59 of the 61 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 3 of the 64 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Superwoman Schema: African American Women’s Views on Stress, Strength, and Health

Open access
Woods-Giscombé, Cheryl L.·2010·Qualitative Health Research

Abstract

Researchers have suggested that health disparities in African American women, including adverse birth outcomes, lupus, obesity, and untreated depression, can be explained by stress and coping. The Strong Black Woman/Superwoman role has been highlighted as a phenomenon influencing African American women’s experiences and reports of stress. The purpose of this study was to develop a preliminary conceptual framework for Superwoman Schema (SWS) by exploring women’s descriptions of the Superwoman role; perceptions of contextual factors, benefits, and liabilities; and beliefs regarding how it influences health. Analysis of eight focus group discussions with demographically diverse African American women yielded themes characterizing the Superwoman role and personal or sociohistorical contextual factors. Participants reported that the Superwoman role had benefits (preservation of self and family or community) and liabilities (relationship strain, stress-related health behaviors, and stress embodiment). The SWS framework might be used to enhance future research on stress and African American women’s health.

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1177/1049732310361892

Cites

59 of 59 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

101 Own result · 26 No full text of the sources · 9 Sources not found · 9 Own method · 5 Not checked yet · 4 Own interpretation · 2 Partly supported · 1 Supported so far · 1 No basis given · accuracy not yet measured

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Show all 78 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 46
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 5
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 39
80 of 80
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Knowledge about how stress and health relate in African American women remains incomplete, partly due to scarce information on their stress experiences and coping.

    “The relationship between stress and health in African American women is not understood fully, in part because of limited information about African American women’s experiences of stress and their stress-related coping strategies.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    African American women's historical pattern of strength under stress may be linked to their present health disparities.

    “The legacy of strength in the face of stress among African American women might have something to do with the current health disparities that African American women face.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    An isolated characteristic of the Superwoman role is not by itself a risk factor for undesirable health outcomes.

    “It is reasonable to assume that an isolated characteristic of the Superwoman role might not be, in and of itself, a risk factor for undesirable health outcomes.”
3 of 3

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Citations

Cites

Show all 61 references

Research works printed but not linked: 21

  1. Angelou, M. ( 1978). Phenomenal woman. In And still I rise (pp. 8-10). New York: Random House.
  2. Black, A., Poster presented at the National Institutes of Health Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities
  3. Boles, N., 2008, Back to basics: Volunteerism and fundamental philanthropy
  4. Boyd, J.A., 1997, In the company of my sisters: Black women and self-esteem
  5. Boyd, J.A., 1999, Can I get a witness? For sisters, when the blues is more than a song
  6. Curphey, S., 2003, Black women mental-health needs unmet
  7. Geronimus, A.T., 2001, Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association, 56, 133
  8. Gillespie, M.A. ( 1984). The myth of the strong Black woman. In A. M. Jaggar & P. S. Rothenberg (Eds.), Feminist frameworks: Alternative theoretical accounts of the relations between women and men (pp. 32-35). New York: McGraw-Hill.
  9. Giovanni, N. ( 1996). Ego-tripping. In The Selected Poems of Nikki Giovanni: 1968-1995 (pp. 92-93). New York: William Morrow.
  10. Giscombé, C., 2005, The association of race-related, gender-related, and generic stress with global distress and coping among African American women. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation)
  11. Mitchell, A., 1998, What the blues is all about: Black women overcoming stress and depression
  12. Morgan, D.L., 1998, The focus group kit. Volumes 1-6 (box set)
  13. Morrison, D.H., 2006, Even Superwoman needs to cry sometimes: An intimacy guide for men partnering with strong Black women
  14. Pons-Estel, G.J., 2009, Epub ahead of print
  15. Romero, R.E. ( 2000). The icon of the strong Black woman: The paradox of strength . In L. C. Jackson & B. Greene (Eds.), Psychotherapy with African American women: Innovations in psychodynamic perspectives and practice (pp. 225-238). New York: Guilford Press.
  16. Shorter-Gooden, K. & Jackson, L.C. ( 2000). The interweaving of cultural and intrapsychic issues in the therapeutic relationship. In L. C. Jackson & B. Greene (Eds.), Psychotherapy with African American women: Innovations in psychodynamic perspective and practice (pp. 15-32). New York: Guilford Press.
  17. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of the Surgeon General, United States Department of Health and Human Services., 2009, Surgeon General’s report. Fact sheets: African Americans
  18. Thomas, A.J., Speight, S.L. & Witherspoon, K.M. (2005). Race and ethnicity in psychology . In J. L. Chin (Ed.), The psychology of prejudice and discrimination: Bias based on gender and sexual orientation (pp. 113-132). Westport, CT: Praeger/Greenwood.
  19. Thompkins, T., 2005, The real lives of strong Black women: Transcending myths, reclaiming joy
  20. Thompson, C.L. ( 2000). African American women and moral masochism: When there is too much of a good thing. In L. C. Jackson & B. Greene (Eds.), Psychotherapy with African American women: Innovations in psychodynamic perspectives and practice (pp. 239-250). New York: Guilford Press.
  21. Walcott-McQuigg, J.A., 1995, Journal of the National Medical Association, 87, 427

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Items 501–600 of 793

Metadata

Authors
Woods-Giscombé, C. L.
Affiliations
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA,
Venue
Qualitative Health Research
Published
2010-02-12
Volume
20
Issue
5
Pages
668-683
ISSN
  • 1049-7323 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-7557
OpenAlex
W2114868277
Cited by
802
References
61
Citations by year
2026: 99 · 2025: 124 · 2024: 90 · 2023: 76 · 2022: 100 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 5
FWCI
34.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Qualitative Health Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  • National Institute of Nursing Research (P20NR008369, T32NR007091)
  • National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
  • National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR025747)
  • National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (L60 MD002499)
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (R21AT004276, T32AT003378)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Gender, Health, and Social Inequality
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Keywords
Superwoman Schema, Strong Black Woman, African American women, stress, coping, health disparities, conceptual framework, role expectations, relationship strain, women's health beliefs
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Black or African American, Female, Gender Identity, Humans, Middle Aged, Stress, Psychological, Women's Health, Focus Groups, Self Efficacy, Young Adult

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