A Sociocultural Exploration of the Impact Body Image Has on Black College-Aged Women’s Mental Health

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the relationship between Black cultural identity body image and mental well-being among Black Americans and Black immigrant women who attend predominately white universities (PWIs). As part of the Multi-Site University Study of Identity and Culture (MUSIC) survey, participants completed the Brief Inventory of Body Image, which included questions such as “I’m proud of my body,” “I often feel ugly,” ‘I have a good figure,” “I’m ashamed of my body,” and “I am anxious about the way I look.” The results showed that there were several similarities between the subgroups in the correlations between body image and mental health indices, such as social anxiety, depression, psychological well-being, and self-esteem. Both Black American and Black immigrant college-aged women had a positive association between body image and indicators of Black women’s sense of self, like self-esteem and psychological well-being. They also had a negative association between body image and mental health, such as social anxiety and depression. However, there was one key difference in that Black American women had a stronger association between their sense of self and self-esteem and psychological well-being compared to Black immigrant women. These findings support other studies that suggest Black women tend to have a stronger positive body satisfaction relative to their overall mental well-being. The study has important implications for the understanding of Black women, ethnic identity, body image, and mental health, which are discussed in the paper.

Plain Language Summary

Examining body image issues among Black women and its impact on their mental health.