Date of Conferral

11-11-2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Robin Friedman

Abstract

Childhood trauma and obesity have a significant impact on development throughout the lifespan. Black women have the highest prevalence of obesity and experience more severe and a greater number of traumatic events than their White peers. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Black women perceived the role of childhood trauma in their struggles with obesity. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. The central research question explored the experiences of Black women who experienced childhood trauma and were struggling with obesity as adults. A secondary question explored coping mechanisms developed to address the psychological and physical challenges related to obesity resulting from childhood trauma. The data were collected from six Black women through semi-structured interviews and analyzed to identify themes of women’s experience using Moustakas’s approach to data analysis. Based on the analyses, four themes were identified: childhood trauma influenced the use of food as a coping mechanism and control, body image influenced by childhood trauma, cultural and social influences, and coping to manage impact. The implications for positive social change include reducing the stigma around childhood trauma and obesity, which could improve the quality of life for Black women. This study could also inform effective intervention strategies and lead to improved treatment approaches for this population.

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