I am an experimental social psychologist that research interests and training specializes on the social determinants of health and education for diverse populations . Currently I serve as the Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, TX.
Anti-Black racism within the workplace has been negatively associated with psychological well-bei... more Anti-Black racism within the workplace has been negatively associated with psychological well-being, belonging, pay equity, and creativity (Neal-Barnett, Harvard Business Review, 2021; Tucker, SHRM, 2021). Moreover, after the deaths of George Floyd and countless other Black Americans, anti-Black racism has become a topic that has garnered international attention and demanded reformation of organizational culture (see Boykin et al., Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 2020). During a time when academic research on these topics is still in their nascent stages, we have assembled a team of practitioners to offer advice on what we believe are some of the most critical topics to tackle. These issues are not only ones that we-as Black individuals-personally feel are critical. But additionally, we-as practitioners who have had experiences in a wide scope of organizational settings-feel they are under challenges that simply must be addressed through empirical research, which is currently lacking. Our "call to action" focuses on these six key topics: (1) avoiding short-term solutions to a long-term problem; (2) maximizing the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion officers; (3) engaging White men as allies; (4) ensuring fairer selection systems for hiring; (5) effectively leveraging diversity, equity, and inclusion data; and (6) leveraging employee resource groups as critical business drivers. After discussing each section, we provide recommendations regarding what we believe need empirical attention, attention we believe is key to ultimately mitigate anti-Black racism in the workplace.
There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducin... more There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducing health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities. To support this initiative, pathway programs were designed to provide educational and career support to students belonging to racial/ethnic minorities or those who have challenges applying to or entering health professions. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, pathway programs have assumed various instructional delivery formats (e.g., face to face, virtual, hybrid) with little knowledge on the satisfaction of such methods. The current preliminary study examines whether in person, virtual, or hybrid learning is most effective for underrepresented pre-health undergraduate students who are engaged in a six-week interprofessional health pathway program. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected at one time point towards the end of the program when it was offered in person, virtually, and in hybrid format. Results revealed that ...
There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducin... more There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducing health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities. To support this initiative, pathway programs were designed to provide educational and career support to students belonging to racial/ethnic minorities or those who have challenges applying to or entering health professions. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, pathway programs have assumed various instructional delivery formats (e.g., face to face, virtual, hybrid) with little knowledge on the satisfaction of such methods. The current preliminary study examines whether in person, virtual, or hybrid learning is most effective for underrepresented pre-health undergraduate students who are engaged in a six-week interprofessional health pathway program. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected at one time point towards the end of the program when it was offered in person, virtually, and in hybrid format. Results revealed that the pre-health pathway program received highest satisfaction when presented in a hybrid format and least satisfaction when presented in virtual instruction. Qualitative data suggests that virtual instruction increases feelings of isolation and complicates educational information due to the limitations of virtual streaming. Implications for pathway design are discussed.
Anti-Black racism within the workplace has been negatively associated with psychological well-bei... more Anti-Black racism within the workplace has been negatively associated with psychological well-being, belonging, pay equity, and creativity (Neal-Barnett, Harvard Business Review, 2021; Tucker, SHRM, 2021). Moreover, after the deaths of George Floyd and countless other Black Americans, anti-Black racism has become a topic that has garnered international attention and demanded reformation of organizational culture (see Boykin et al., Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 2020). During a time when academic research on these topics is still in their nascent stages, we have assembled a team of practitioners to offer advice on what we believe are some of the most critical topics to tackle. These issues are not only ones that we-as Black individuals-personally feel are critical. But additionally, we-as practitioners who have had experiences in a wide scope of organizational settings-feel they are under challenges that simply must be addressed through empirical research, which is currently lacking. Our "call to action" focuses on these six key topics: (1) avoiding short-term solutions to a long-term problem; (2) maximizing the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion officers; (3) engaging White men as allies; (4) ensuring fairer selection systems for hiring; (5) effectively leveraging diversity, equity, and inclusion data; and (6) leveraging employee resource groups as critical business drivers. After discussing each section, we provide recommendations regarding what we believe need empirical attention, attention we believe is key to ultimately mitigate anti-Black racism in the workplace.
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 2022
Objective: Self-infrahumanization or perceiving oneself as lacking the experience of uniquely hum... more Objective: Self-infrahumanization or perceiving oneself as lacking the experience of uniquely human emotions, and endorsement of Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema, or self-superhumanization, are two forms of dehumanization. Among African American women, SBW schema endorsement is associated with greater negative attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help (ATSPPH) and poorer mental health. Self-infrahumanization is associated with fewer adaptive stress responses and poorer well-being. This research examines the relationship between self-infrahumanization and self-superhumanization on ATSPPH and mental health among African American women. We hypothesized that self-infrahumanization and self-superhumanization will be associated with greater negative ATSPPH and greater mental health symptomatology. We also hypothesized that ATSPPH will mediate the interactive effect of selfinfrahumanization and SBW schema endorsement on mental health symptomatology.
Method: Four hundred and forty-nine self-identified African American women (Mage = 37.96; SDage = 15.55; age range: 18–87) completed an online, self-administered Qualtrics survey investigating the social and psychological determinants of health.
Results: Self-infrahumanization was not associated with mental health symptomatology. Greater SBW schema endorsement was associated with greater mental health symptomatology. Self-infrahumanization and SBW schema endorsement were not associated with ATSPPH. ATSPPH mediated the interaction between SBW and self-infrahumanization on mental health symptomatology. At high and average—but not low—levels of SBW schema endorsement, greater self-infrahumanization was associated with lower positive ATSPPH, which was then associated with greater mental health symptomatology.
Conclusions: Among African American women, believing that one lacks the experience of uniquely human emotions exacerbates the negative effects of endorsing SBW schema. We discuss the role of dehumanization processes in health disparities research.
The publicized murders of unarmed African Americans and Asian Americans in the midst of a global ... more The publicized murders of unarmed African Americans and Asian Americans in the midst of a global pandemic incited
massive civil, social, and political turmoil within our country. In response, the medical community is protesting against
systemic oppression and emphasizing the critical need for health professionals to address the social determinants of
health. This AM Last Page highlights the importance of supporting medical students, faculty, and administration in
social justice activism and outlines support strategies. Support for social justice activism may have a profound effect on
the diversity climate of your institution.
Three studies examined prejudice as an explanation for the overrepresentation of Black Africans a... more Three studies examined prejudice as an explanation for the overrepresentation of Black Africans and the under-representation of native-born Black Americans in Ivy League institutions. I hypothesized admission officers may use Black Africans as a “cover” for their prejudice against Black American natives. The admission of more Black Africans may allow admission officers to express their prejudice toward Black American natives while maintaining an egalitarian image. In Study 1, although the Black African applicant was evaluated as more likable, competent, and had a greater chance of being admitted than the Black American native applicant, differences were only significant when compared with the White American applicant. In Study 2, the Black American native applicant was significantly less likely to be admitted when being directly compared to a Black African applicant (versus a White American applicant). Study 3, tested the boundary effects of Study 2 by exposing participants to an Af...
This study examined positive religious coping (eg, prayer) and negative religious coping (eg, bla... more This study examined positive religious coping (eg, prayer) and negative religious coping (eg, blaming the Devil) as mediators between perceived prejudice (everyday discrimination, stigma consciousness, perceived invisibility) and psychological distress (depression, anxiety, hostility). Structural equation modeling revealed that negative religious coping fully mediated the relationship between prejudice and psychological distress. Content analysis of participants’ descriptions of their experiences with prejudice also showed that negative religious coping significantly mediated the relationship between prejudice and the frequency with which negative emotions were expressed. Positive religious coping did not mediate either analysis. Implications for culturally sensitive counseling interventions are discussed.(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Jan 16, 2018
Stigmatized people exhibit blunted cortisol responses to many stressors. To examine the cortisol ... more Stigmatized people exhibit blunted cortisol responses to many stressors. To examine the cortisol responses of individuals who are overweight to a stigma-related stressor involving interviewing for a weight-discriminatory company. We recruited 170 men and women (mean age = 35.01) from towns located within about a 30-min drive of the study center. Weight was assessed using body mass index (BMI) and self-perceptions about being overweight. Participants were exposed to a laboratory stressor, modeled after the Trier Social Stress Test. In the stigmatizing condition, participants gave a supposedly videotaped speech about what makes them a good candidate for a job at a company that was described as having a weight-discriminatory health insurance benefit. Participants in the nonstigmatizing condition made a supposedly audiotaped speech for a company whose health insurance benefit was not described. Cortisol reactivity was then assessed. Participants who rated themselves as overweight or who...
Two studies examined preferences for second-generation African immigrants over Black American nat... more Two studies examined preferences for second-generation African immigrants over Black American natives in a college admission simulation. Study 1 showed that a Black American native applicant was less likely to be admitted when his competitor was a second-generation African immigrant applicant relative to a White American competitor. Study 2 showed that this preference did not occur when the two applicants of color were not in competition. Stereotypes and perceived SES did not explain these findings. Discussion suggests that accepting second-generation African immigrants may cover for prejudice by providing a socially desirable alternative to accepting Black American native applicants.
This study examined the indirect effect of skin tone on psychological distress via (1) stigma con... more This study examined the indirect effect of skin tone on psychological distress via (1) stigma consciousness and (2) life satisfaction among African American adults (N = 780; %Female = 57.65%; Mage = 37.68). Results show indirect effects of (1) skin tone on life satisfaction and (2) skin tone on psychological distress, each via stigma consciousness. Specifically, those with darker (vs. lighter) skin tones reported increased stigma consciousness, which then predicted (1) lower life satisfaction and (2) lower levels of psychological distress. Life satisfaction did not predict psychological distress. Implications for African American mental health are discussed.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal
PurposeThe current piece summarizes five critical points about racism from the point of view of B... more PurposeThe current piece summarizes five critical points about racism from the point of view of Black scholars and allies: (1) Black people are experiencing exhaustion from and physiological effects of racism, (2) racism extends far beyond police brutality and into most societal structures, (3) despite being the targets of racism, Black people are often blamed for their oppression and retaliated against for their response to it, (4) everyone must improve their awareness and knowledge (through both formal education and individual motivation) to fight racism and (5) anti-racist policies and accountability are key to enact structural reformation.FindingsThe first three of these points detail the depths of the problem from the perspectives of the authors and the final two lay out a call to action.Practical implicationsThis viewpoint is the joint effort of 14 authors who provided a unified perspective.Originality/valueThis was one of the most original experiences the authors have had – w...
Past research indicates that having a similar life experience as another person leads to greater ... more Past research indicates that having a similar life experience as another person leads to greater empathic concern towards that person. Two studies empirically investigated if similar experiences of race-based social identity threat can increase the empathic concern of White Americans toward African Americans. Study 1 revealed that White Americans randomly assigned to think about White privilege and then randomly assigned to read a passage about an African American whose accomplishments are attributed to Affirmative Action policies (versus an African American whose accomplishments are attributed to his hard work and merit) felt greater empathic concern toward the African American described in the passage. This effect was significantly mediated by stereotype threat feelings and moderated by group identity. Study 2 revealed that White Americans randomly assigned to think about how others think they have benefited from White privilege and then randomly assigned to read a passage about a...
Anti-Black racism within the workplace has been negatively associated with psychological well-bei... more Anti-Black racism within the workplace has been negatively associated with psychological well-being, belonging, pay equity, and creativity (Neal-Barnett, Harvard Business Review, 2021; Tucker, SHRM, 2021). Moreover, after the deaths of George Floyd and countless other Black Americans, anti-Black racism has become a topic that has garnered international attention and demanded reformation of organizational culture (see Boykin et al., Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 2020). During a time when academic research on these topics is still in their nascent stages, we have assembled a team of practitioners to offer advice on what we believe are some of the most critical topics to tackle. These issues are not only ones that we-as Black individuals-personally feel are critical. But additionally, we-as practitioners who have had experiences in a wide scope of organizational settings-feel they are under challenges that simply must be addressed through empirical research, which is currently lacking. Our "call to action" focuses on these six key topics: (1) avoiding short-term solutions to a long-term problem; (2) maximizing the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion officers; (3) engaging White men as allies; (4) ensuring fairer selection systems for hiring; (5) effectively leveraging diversity, equity, and inclusion data; and (6) leveraging employee resource groups as critical business drivers. After discussing each section, we provide recommendations regarding what we believe need empirical attention, attention we believe is key to ultimately mitigate anti-Black racism in the workplace.
There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducin... more There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducing health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities. To support this initiative, pathway programs were designed to provide educational and career support to students belonging to racial/ethnic minorities or those who have challenges applying to or entering health professions. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, pathway programs have assumed various instructional delivery formats (e.g., face to face, virtual, hybrid) with little knowledge on the satisfaction of such methods. The current preliminary study examines whether in person, virtual, or hybrid learning is most effective for underrepresented pre-health undergraduate students who are engaged in a six-week interprofessional health pathway program. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected at one time point towards the end of the program when it was offered in person, virtually, and in hybrid format. Results revealed that ...
There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducin... more There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducing health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities. To support this initiative, pathway programs were designed to provide educational and career support to students belonging to racial/ethnic minorities or those who have challenges applying to or entering health professions. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, pathway programs have assumed various instructional delivery formats (e.g., face to face, virtual, hybrid) with little knowledge on the satisfaction of such methods. The current preliminary study examines whether in person, virtual, or hybrid learning is most effective for underrepresented pre-health undergraduate students who are engaged in a six-week interprofessional health pathway program. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected at one time point towards the end of the program when it was offered in person, virtually, and in hybrid format. Results revealed that the pre-health pathway program received highest satisfaction when presented in a hybrid format and least satisfaction when presented in virtual instruction. Qualitative data suggests that virtual instruction increases feelings of isolation and complicates educational information due to the limitations of virtual streaming. Implications for pathway design are discussed.
Anti-Black racism within the workplace has been negatively associated with psychological well-bei... more Anti-Black racism within the workplace has been negatively associated with psychological well-being, belonging, pay equity, and creativity (Neal-Barnett, Harvard Business Review, 2021; Tucker, SHRM, 2021). Moreover, after the deaths of George Floyd and countless other Black Americans, anti-Black racism has become a topic that has garnered international attention and demanded reformation of organizational culture (see Boykin et al., Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 2020). During a time when academic research on these topics is still in their nascent stages, we have assembled a team of practitioners to offer advice on what we believe are some of the most critical topics to tackle. These issues are not only ones that we-as Black individuals-personally feel are critical. But additionally, we-as practitioners who have had experiences in a wide scope of organizational settings-feel they are under challenges that simply must be addressed through empirical research, which is currently lacking. Our "call to action" focuses on these six key topics: (1) avoiding short-term solutions to a long-term problem; (2) maximizing the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion officers; (3) engaging White men as allies; (4) ensuring fairer selection systems for hiring; (5) effectively leveraging diversity, equity, and inclusion data; and (6) leveraging employee resource groups as critical business drivers. After discussing each section, we provide recommendations regarding what we believe need empirical attention, attention we believe is key to ultimately mitigate anti-Black racism in the workplace.
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 2022
Objective: Self-infrahumanization or perceiving oneself as lacking the experience of uniquely hum... more Objective: Self-infrahumanization or perceiving oneself as lacking the experience of uniquely human emotions, and endorsement of Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema, or self-superhumanization, are two forms of dehumanization. Among African American women, SBW schema endorsement is associated with greater negative attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help (ATSPPH) and poorer mental health. Self-infrahumanization is associated with fewer adaptive stress responses and poorer well-being. This research examines the relationship between self-infrahumanization and self-superhumanization on ATSPPH and mental health among African American women. We hypothesized that self-infrahumanization and self-superhumanization will be associated with greater negative ATSPPH and greater mental health symptomatology. We also hypothesized that ATSPPH will mediate the interactive effect of selfinfrahumanization and SBW schema endorsement on mental health symptomatology.
Method: Four hundred and forty-nine self-identified African American women (Mage = 37.96; SDage = 15.55; age range: 18–87) completed an online, self-administered Qualtrics survey investigating the social and psychological determinants of health.
Results: Self-infrahumanization was not associated with mental health symptomatology. Greater SBW schema endorsement was associated with greater mental health symptomatology. Self-infrahumanization and SBW schema endorsement were not associated with ATSPPH. ATSPPH mediated the interaction between SBW and self-infrahumanization on mental health symptomatology. At high and average—but not low—levels of SBW schema endorsement, greater self-infrahumanization was associated with lower positive ATSPPH, which was then associated with greater mental health symptomatology.
Conclusions: Among African American women, believing that one lacks the experience of uniquely human emotions exacerbates the negative effects of endorsing SBW schema. We discuss the role of dehumanization processes in health disparities research.
The publicized murders of unarmed African Americans and Asian Americans in the midst of a global ... more The publicized murders of unarmed African Americans and Asian Americans in the midst of a global pandemic incited
massive civil, social, and political turmoil within our country. In response, the medical community is protesting against
systemic oppression and emphasizing the critical need for health professionals to address the social determinants of
health. This AM Last Page highlights the importance of supporting medical students, faculty, and administration in
social justice activism and outlines support strategies. Support for social justice activism may have a profound effect on
the diversity climate of your institution.
Three studies examined prejudice as an explanation for the overrepresentation of Black Africans a... more Three studies examined prejudice as an explanation for the overrepresentation of Black Africans and the under-representation of native-born Black Americans in Ivy League institutions. I hypothesized admission officers may use Black Africans as a “cover” for their prejudice against Black American natives. The admission of more Black Africans may allow admission officers to express their prejudice toward Black American natives while maintaining an egalitarian image. In Study 1, although the Black African applicant was evaluated as more likable, competent, and had a greater chance of being admitted than the Black American native applicant, differences were only significant when compared with the White American applicant. In Study 2, the Black American native applicant was significantly less likely to be admitted when being directly compared to a Black African applicant (versus a White American applicant). Study 3, tested the boundary effects of Study 2 by exposing participants to an Af...
This study examined positive religious coping (eg, prayer) and negative religious coping (eg, bla... more This study examined positive religious coping (eg, prayer) and negative religious coping (eg, blaming the Devil) as mediators between perceived prejudice (everyday discrimination, stigma consciousness, perceived invisibility) and psychological distress (depression, anxiety, hostility). Structural equation modeling revealed that negative religious coping fully mediated the relationship between prejudice and psychological distress. Content analysis of participants’ descriptions of their experiences with prejudice also showed that negative religious coping significantly mediated the relationship between prejudice and the frequency with which negative emotions were expressed. Positive religious coping did not mediate either analysis. Implications for culturally sensitive counseling interventions are discussed.(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Jan 16, 2018
Stigmatized people exhibit blunted cortisol responses to many stressors. To examine the cortisol ... more Stigmatized people exhibit blunted cortisol responses to many stressors. To examine the cortisol responses of individuals who are overweight to a stigma-related stressor involving interviewing for a weight-discriminatory company. We recruited 170 men and women (mean age = 35.01) from towns located within about a 30-min drive of the study center. Weight was assessed using body mass index (BMI) and self-perceptions about being overweight. Participants were exposed to a laboratory stressor, modeled after the Trier Social Stress Test. In the stigmatizing condition, participants gave a supposedly videotaped speech about what makes them a good candidate for a job at a company that was described as having a weight-discriminatory health insurance benefit. Participants in the nonstigmatizing condition made a supposedly audiotaped speech for a company whose health insurance benefit was not described. Cortisol reactivity was then assessed. Participants who rated themselves as overweight or who...
Two studies examined preferences for second-generation African immigrants over Black American nat... more Two studies examined preferences for second-generation African immigrants over Black American natives in a college admission simulation. Study 1 showed that a Black American native applicant was less likely to be admitted when his competitor was a second-generation African immigrant applicant relative to a White American competitor. Study 2 showed that this preference did not occur when the two applicants of color were not in competition. Stereotypes and perceived SES did not explain these findings. Discussion suggests that accepting second-generation African immigrants may cover for prejudice by providing a socially desirable alternative to accepting Black American native applicants.
This study examined the indirect effect of skin tone on psychological distress via (1) stigma con... more This study examined the indirect effect of skin tone on psychological distress via (1) stigma consciousness and (2) life satisfaction among African American adults (N = 780; %Female = 57.65%; Mage = 37.68). Results show indirect effects of (1) skin tone on life satisfaction and (2) skin tone on psychological distress, each via stigma consciousness. Specifically, those with darker (vs. lighter) skin tones reported increased stigma consciousness, which then predicted (1) lower life satisfaction and (2) lower levels of psychological distress. Life satisfaction did not predict psychological distress. Implications for African American mental health are discussed.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal
PurposeThe current piece summarizes five critical points about racism from the point of view of B... more PurposeThe current piece summarizes five critical points about racism from the point of view of Black scholars and allies: (1) Black people are experiencing exhaustion from and physiological effects of racism, (2) racism extends far beyond police brutality and into most societal structures, (3) despite being the targets of racism, Black people are often blamed for their oppression and retaliated against for their response to it, (4) everyone must improve their awareness and knowledge (through both formal education and individual motivation) to fight racism and (5) anti-racist policies and accountability are key to enact structural reformation.FindingsThe first three of these points detail the depths of the problem from the perspectives of the authors and the final two lay out a call to action.Practical implicationsThis viewpoint is the joint effort of 14 authors who provided a unified perspective.Originality/valueThis was one of the most original experiences the authors have had – w...
Past research indicates that having a similar life experience as another person leads to greater ... more Past research indicates that having a similar life experience as another person leads to greater empathic concern towards that person. Two studies empirically investigated if similar experiences of race-based social identity threat can increase the empathic concern of White Americans toward African Americans. Study 1 revealed that White Americans randomly assigned to think about White privilege and then randomly assigned to read a passage about an African American whose accomplishments are attributed to Affirmative Action policies (versus an African American whose accomplishments are attributed to his hard work and merit) felt greater empathic concern toward the African American described in the passage. This effect was significantly mediated by stereotype threat feelings and moderated by group identity. Study 2 revealed that White Americans randomly assigned to think about how others think they have benefited from White privilege and then randomly assigned to read a passage about a...
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Papers by Asia McCleary-Gaddy
Method: Four hundred and forty-nine self-identified African American women (Mage = 37.96; SDage = 15.55; age range: 18–87) completed an online, self-administered Qualtrics survey investigating the social and psychological determinants of health.
Results: Self-infrahumanization was not associated with mental health symptomatology. Greater SBW schema endorsement was associated with greater mental health symptomatology. Self-infrahumanization and SBW schema endorsement were not associated with ATSPPH. ATSPPH mediated the interaction between SBW and self-infrahumanization on mental health symptomatology. At high and average—but not low—levels of SBW schema endorsement, greater self-infrahumanization was associated with lower positive ATSPPH, which was then associated with greater mental health symptomatology.
Conclusions: Among African American women, believing that one lacks the experience of uniquely human emotions exacerbates the negative effects of endorsing SBW schema. We discuss the role of dehumanization processes in health disparities research.
massive civil, social, and political turmoil within our country. In response, the medical community is protesting against
systemic oppression and emphasizing the critical need for health professionals to address the social determinants of
health. This AM Last Page highlights the importance of supporting medical students, faculty, and administration in
social justice activism and outlines support strategies. Support for social justice activism may have a profound effect on
the diversity climate of your institution.
Method: Four hundred and forty-nine self-identified African American women (Mage = 37.96; SDage = 15.55; age range: 18–87) completed an online, self-administered Qualtrics survey investigating the social and psychological determinants of health.
Results: Self-infrahumanization was not associated with mental health symptomatology. Greater SBW schema endorsement was associated with greater mental health symptomatology. Self-infrahumanization and SBW schema endorsement were not associated with ATSPPH. ATSPPH mediated the interaction between SBW and self-infrahumanization on mental health symptomatology. At high and average—but not low—levels of SBW schema endorsement, greater self-infrahumanization was associated with lower positive ATSPPH, which was then associated with greater mental health symptomatology.
Conclusions: Among African American women, believing that one lacks the experience of uniquely human emotions exacerbates the negative effects of endorsing SBW schema. We discuss the role of dehumanization processes in health disparities research.
massive civil, social, and political turmoil within our country. In response, the medical community is protesting against
systemic oppression and emphasizing the critical need for health professionals to address the social determinants of
health. This AM Last Page highlights the importance of supporting medical students, faculty, and administration in
social justice activism and outlines support strategies. Support for social justice activism may have a profound effect on
the diversity climate of your institution.