Date of Conferral

10-6-2026

Date of Award

October 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Human Services

Advisor

Barbara Benoliel

Abstract

African American men face unique barriers when accessing and utilizing mental health services, and these challenges can influence their mental, physical, and overall well-being. The purpose of this generic qualitative design was to explore mental health professionals’ perspectives on the influences for African American men’s decision to seek professional mental health services. Data were collected through an open-ended online survey completed by mental health professionals and analyzed using thematic coding to identify emerging themes. Analysis resulted in extracting an overarching theme of systemic cultural oppression and four related themes: (a) emotional distress and life crises as catalysts for help seeking, (b) anger as an expression of underlying pain, (c) feeling seen, heard, and culturally understood, and (d) community and cultural pathways to engagement. This research may promote social change and have a social impact by increasing awareness of the unique influences on decision-making for African American men seeking professional mental health services and providing insights for mental health professionals to serve, support, and advocate for systemic changes and equitable services for this population. This study could potentially inform professional development, training, policies/procedures, and culturally responsive care practices.

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