Psychology of Black Womanhood

Psychology of Black Womanhood is the first textbook to provide an authoritative, jargon-free, affordable, and holistic exploration of the sociohistorical and psychological experiences of Black girls and women in the United States, while discussing the intersection of their identities. The authors include research on young, middle-aged, and maturing women; LGBTQ+ women and non-binary individuals; women with disabilities; and women across social classes. This textbook is firmly rooted in Black feminist, womanist, and psychological frameworks that incorporate literature from related disciplines, such as sociology, Black/African American studies, women’s studies, and public health. Psychology of Black Womanhood speaks to the psychological study of experiences of girls and women of African descent in the United States and their experiences in the context of identity development, education, religion, body image, physical and mental health, racialized gendered violence, sex and sexuality, work, relationships, aging, motherhood, and activism. This textbook has implications for practice in counseling, social work, health care, education, advocacy, and policy.

Danielle Dickens, PhD is associate professor of psychology at Spelman College. Dr. Dickens uses an interdisciplinary approach and pulls together her knowledge and experience as an instructor, researcher, and mentor around the intersectional issues of race/ethnicity, gender, age, and class in higher education and the workplace. As a Black feminist social psychologist, her research focuses on the identity development and identity formation of Black women and how they navigate the world. She utilizes qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine Black women’s intersectional identities, with an emphasis on their experiences in the workplace, higher education, and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Dr. Dickens is most interested in examining how Black women engage in identity shifting as a coping strategy, and the benefits and costs of identity shifting on Black women’s physical and mental health. In her second line of research, Dickens examines the social-psychological determinants of academic and career development of Black women. These projects have been funded from agencies, such as the National Science Foundation, American Psychological Foundation, and Goldman Sachs. She is a recipient of several awards, such as the 2019 American Psychological Association (APA) Division 35 Mary Roth Walsh Teaching the Psychology of Women Award, the 2020 APA Division 35 Section 1 Psychology of Black Women Foremothers Mentorship Early Career Award, and the 2023 Women of Color Initiative Outstanding Faculty Impact Award.

Dionne Stephens, PhD is a professor of psychology at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami. She holds affiliated faculty member status in FIU’s Latin American & Caribbean Studies and Women and Gender Studies Programs, and the Centre for Critical Qualitative Health Research at the University of Toronto. A Black social justice scholar, Dr. Stephens is specifically interested in identifying socio-historical and contextual factors influencing marginalized populations’ health decision making processes. A hallmark of her work is the centering of collaborative and participatory research partnerships with community organizations in Miami, Toronto, Cartagena, and Mysuru. These projects have been funded by such agencies as the National Institutes for Health (NIH), American Psychological Association (APA), and Facebook/Meta. In recognition of her achievements, Dr. Stephens has received numerous national awards, including the APA’s Mid-Career Award for Multicultural Psychology, APA’s Distinguished Contributions to Teaching & Mentoring in Qualitative Inquiry, APA Division 35 Section 1 Psychology of Black Women Foremothers Mentorship Career Award, the NIH Fogarty Center Global Health Equity Scholars’ Faculty Fellowship, and the National Institute for Teaching & Mentoring Faculty Mentor of the Year, among others.