Dissertations and Theses
Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Lisa Babel
Keywords
mental health, mental health stigma, african american men, depression
Abstract
Depression is a common mental health disorder in the United States. In particular, African Americans have a greater risk of depression because they are predisposed to depressive symptoms as opposed to their White counterparts (Miller and Taylor, 2011). Moreover, African Americans are 20% more likely to experience psychological distress that leads to depression compared to other racial groups. While African American cultural norms focus on resilience and independence, discussion around mental health is discouraged, which leads to underreporting and delayed treatment. For males in the African American community, they can be hesitant to seek help, let alone discuss their experiences with depression, so it is important to create safe spaces for self-expression, as well as to destigmatize mental health across cultures. To address these issues, I examine how African American males discuss their mental health with family, friends, and medical professionals, as well as how their own views on mental health may have changed after their experiences with depression. Thus, my research question is “How do societal norms and the discussion around mental health impact African American males experiencing depressive symptoms?” This exploratory study uses qualitative methods to conduct interviews with African American male participants in New York City and uses Values Analysis (Daiute, 2014), a type of narrative inquiry, to uncover participants’ values, beliefs and attitudes toward mental health. As a result, the data sheds light on how cultural norms and systemic racism play a role in how African American males seek help for depressive symptoms and gain access to quality mental health services.
Recommended Citation
Carrington, Deanna, "Depression In African American Males And The Mental Health Stigma" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/1162