Date of Conferral
4-24-2025
Date of Award
April 2025
Degree
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
School
Social Work
Advisor
So`Nia Gilkey
Abstract
Mental health disorders affect African American men similarly compared to their racial/ethnic counterparts. The problem is African American men do not access and engage in mental health services continuously, which affects their mental health outcomes. Grounded in ecological systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore experiences of African American men, who have accessed and engaged in mental health treatment services. This study had three research questions focused on African American men’s perspectives on mental health services, personal experiences with mental health providers, and barriers they encountered when engaging in services. Participants were eight young adult African American men who were 21 to 32 years old and residing in rural Mississippi. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews via telephone. Through thematic analysis, three themes emerged: mental health diagnosis loop, nature of the connection, and feelings of being pressured in the therapeutic setting. Findings of this study can help mental health social workers improve mental health treatment experiences for African American men. This study promotes positive social change by providing social workers with improved knowledge about African American men’s experiences with mental health services and ways to improve their engagement in these services.
Recommended Citation
Jenkins, Kimberly, "African American Men’s Experiences in Mental Health Treatment Services in Rural Mississippi" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17656.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17656
