We've been here before: Reactions to the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests for justice.

Although experiences with police vary widely by race in the United States, many Americans expressed negative reactions to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020, which led to racially diverse protests for Floyd's justice. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed differences in Black and White Americans' reactions to the murder of George Floyd and the presence of White Americans at the subsequent protests for justice. METHOD: Black and White Americans (N = 290) took part in an online study in which they responded to questions regarding their reactions to the murder of George Floyd, the subsequent protests for justice, and critical knowledge (e.g., previous experiences with police and broad knowledge of Black history). RESULTS: Results of a preregistered study showed that Black (relative to White) Americans were more surprised by the extent of White participation in protests for justice. Also, Black Americans were more alarmed (i.e., emotionally jarred) by Floyd's murder. These differences in reactions were explained by Black (relative to White) Americans having more negative experiences with police brutality, both personally and among close others. CONCLUSION: This suggests that reactions to police brutality are experientially rooted, joining long-standing calls to center the lived experiences of Black Americans in psychological research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

You can't dismantle what you don't recognize: The effect of learning critical Black history in healthcare on perspective-taking.

Black (compared to White) Americans endure worse healthcare and health outcomes, and discrimination perpetuates these disparities. However, many White Americans deny that racial injustice exists. Two studies (N = 1,853 White Americans) tested whether learning Critical Black History (history of injustice) in healthcare increased perspective-taking and its subsequent impact on racism recognition. When participants learned Critical Black History, perspective-taking was positively associated with isolated and systemic racism recognition (Study 1). In Study 2, participants were randomly assigned to learn Critical Black History, Celebratory Black History (history of achievement), or a Control lesson. Participants who learned Critical Black History (vs. Celebratory or Control) engaged in higher levels of perspective-taking which, in turn, increased racism recognition/acknowledgment, support for anti-racist healthcare policies, and recognition of systemic contributors to Black-White health disparities; no change in negative stereotype endorsement was observed. These findings suggest learning about racial injustice, coupled with perspective-taking, engenders support for racial equity in healthcare. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

"No Complaining, No Crying": A Qualitative Study of the Strong Black Woman Schema in the Breast Cancer Context.

BACKGROUND: Black women have the highest mortality from breast cancer compared with other racial/ethnic groups. Black women with breast cancer also evidence compromised quality of life in some domains. Culturally relevant aspects of their experience are understudied. PURPOSE: The goal of this qualitative study was to examine the relevance of the Strong Black Woman schema in the cancer context. METHODS: Three Gatherings (i.e., culturally curated focus groups) were conducted with Black women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and recruited from cancer-related listservs and events. A five-person team conducted reflexive thematic analysis of Gathering transcripts. RESULTS: The 37 participants ranged in age (30 to 94 years) and in diagnosis duration (2 months to 29 years). Reflexive thematic analysis yielded six themes that characterized the women's experience: historical legacy of the Strong Black Woman, navigating intersecting Strong Black Woman identities, everyday challenges encountered on the battlefield by Strong Black Women, Strong Black Woman in action during the breast cancer journey, the complexities of seeking and accepting support, and the liberated Strong Black Woman. The schema's negative consequences included the oncologic team and others expecting the participants to be strong and not to need support. Expectations to suppress emotions and continue caring for others to the neglect of the self also were evident. Positive consequences included engaging in self-advocacy in the oncologic context and redefining strength to include expressing emotions and accepting help. CONCLUSIONS: The Strong Black Woman schema is highly relevant in the breast cancer context and could be addressed in culturally centered interventions.

Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, Black American women diagnosed with breast cancer have the highest death rate and some aspects of their quality of life is lower. The authors developed Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities) to shed light on the experiences of Black American women diagnosed with breast cancer. In one Project SOAR study, 37 women took part in Gatherings­small group meetings conducted in an all-Black, all-woman space­in which they talked about the relevance of the Strong Black Woman (or Black Superwoman) concept during breast cancer. Arising from a history of enslavement, the concept involves suppressing emotions, always acting strong, taking care of others while neglecting care of oneself, and declining others' support. Gathering participants ranged in age (30 to 94 years) and time elapsed since diagnosis (2 months to 29 years). Their breast cancer experiences often corresponded with the Strong Black Woman concept. For example, some medical professionals and others expected them to act strong, to keep caring for others, not to need support, and not to voice their emotions during the cancer experience. Some women redefined strength to include expressing emotions and accepting help. The authors are developing resources for Black American women breast cancer survivors.

"I'm Fighting for My Life": Exploring Interactions Between Black Women with Breast Cancer and Healthcare Providers.

Black Americans face a multitude of problems in the healthcare system, including challenges during interactions with healthcare providers. The present study examined the quality of healthcare provider-Black patient interactions in a sample of Black American women with a breast cancer diagnosis. More specifically, the study examined potential contributors to Black Americans' current healthcare experiences and lack of trust by identifying their specific negative and positive encounters in the healthcare system. Three in-person Gatherings (i.e., culturally curated focus groups; N = 37) were conducted as part of a community-academic research partnership, Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities). Four themes were identified through reflexive thematic analysis: Individual and Systemic Injustice Directed at Black Breast Cancer Survivors; Protecting Myself from an Untrustworthy Medical System; Stereotypes Interfered with My Care; and Good Care Should Include Compassion, Respect, Shared Decision Making, and Tailored Support. The present findings highlight the importance of addressing systemic and individual injustice toward Black Americans in healthcare settings generally, and Black women diagnosed with breast cancer specifically.

Current health care experiences, medical trust, and COVID-19 vaccination intention and uptake in Black and White Americans.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic spotlighted Black Americans' inequitable health care experiences. Across two studies, we tested the associations between health care experiences, historical knowledge of medical mistreatment, medical trust, and COVID-19 vaccination intention and uptake in Black and White Americans. We hypothesized that Black Americans' worse current health care experiences (rather than historical knowledge) and lower medical trust would be associated with lower COVID-19 vaccination intention (Study 1) and that feeling less cared for by their personal physician would be associated with Black Americans' lower medical trust (Study 2). METHOD: In convenience (Study 1, December 2020) and nationally representative samples (Study 2, March-April 2021), participants completed online surveys. RESULTS: In Study 1 (N = 297), Black (relative to White) Americans reported lower vaccination intention (Cohen's d = -.55, p < .001) and lower medical trust (Cohen's d = -.72, p < .001). Additionally, less positive health care experiences among Black participants (Cohen's d = -.33, p = .022) were associated with less medical trust and in turn lower vaccination intention. Tuskegee Study knowledge was not associated with vaccination intention or medical trust. Study 2 (N = 12,757) data revealed no statistically significant racial differences in COVID-19 vaccination receipt or intention. Black (relative to White) Americans reported feeling less cared for by their personal physician (Cohen's d = -.44, p < .001), which was associated with lower medical trust (Cohen's d = -.51, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Findings highlight factors that may contribute to Black Americans' vaccination hesitancy and medical trust. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Ubuntu Approach in Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities): Building a robust community-academic partnership and culturally curated focus groups.

Community-academic partnerships to enable research within minoritized communities are ever more important. Building on community-based participatory research frameworks, the Ubuntu Approach is offered as a set of principles for initiating and supporting meaningful and productive community-academic research partnerships. Particularly pertinent when the research is for and about systemically oppressed groups, the action principles are: 1) take risks; 2) identify and align core values; 3) create connection; 4) convey respect; 5) cultivate trust; and 6) put the work (i.e., benefit to the community) first, all of which are designed to create a culture for the partnership. These principles formed the foundation for the authors' community-academic partnership that resulted in Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities), research to advance the understanding of the nature and consequences of the Strong Black Woman schema, and other culturally-relevant constructs, in the context of the breast cancer experience. Data from the first, qualitative phase of Project SOAR, in which 37 Black women diagnosed with breast cancer took part in culturally curated Gatherings (i.e., focus groups), provide evidence that steps toward the goal of benefiting the community were accomplished and that the Ubuntu Approach can be an effective method for community-academic partnerships.