Gendered Racism and Depression Among Black Women: Examining the Roles of Social Support and Identity

Public Significance Statement The marginalization that Black women experience due to their race and gender, referred to as gendered racism, contributes to psychological distress. Our study indicates that the link between gendered racism and distress is partially explained by social support: More experiences of gendered racism contribute to decreased social support and, in turn, more depression. This depression pathway is strongest among those for whom their Black woman identity is a less important aspect of their self-concept. Objective: Black women's experiences of gendered racism have implications for their mental health. The present study tested the associations between gendered racism, social support, and depression, then investigated whether gendered racial centrality buffered the impact of gendered racism on mental health outcomes. Method: Data from 237 Black college women (M (age) = 22.04, SD = 4.02 years) were collected using an online survey, assessing gendered racism, social support, depression, and gendered racial identity. Results: We found that social support mediated (but did not moderate) the association between gendered racism and depression: More gendered racism was associated with decreased support, and consequently more depression. Also, higher gendered racial centrality buffered the indirect effect of gendered racism on greater depression via lower social support. Conclusion: Our results further illustrate the detrimental effect of gendered racism on Black women, while also illuminating areas for intervention useful for this group.