Date of Conferral
6-17-2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Chet Lesniak
Abstract
African American women veterans' race and gender present challenges as the compounded nature of the racism and sexism they experience creates specific barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment. Much of the research to date has focused on the interconnections between African American women veterans' state of mental health and their experiences in the military; however, their lived experience of encountering barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment has remained unexplored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore African American women veterans' lived experience of encountering barriers to seeking access to mental health treatment to better understand their unique mental health needs. This study's development and analysis were grounded in intersectionality and multiple jeopardy. Purposive and snowball sampling and social media were used to recruit 10 participants. Data collection consisted of audio-recorded semi-structured interviews and field notes. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the data, which revealed seven themes: (a) navigating a complex reality, (b) leadership as a barrier to seeking access to mental health treatment, (c) balancing motherhood and service, (d) support of loved ones, (e) stigma, (f) untimely access to services, and (g) cultural competence. This study can affect positive change by increasing the understanding of the importance of race and culture in trauma recovery so that MHPs can better support African American women veterans and increase their utilization of mental health services.
Recommended Citation
Harris, Aaliyah Shakirah, "African American Women Veterans’ Lived Experience of Barriers to Seeking Access to Mental Health Treatment" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17981.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17981
