You May Be an Ally, But Can I Trust You? Exploring the Consequences of Source and Message Cultural Targeting Among Black Women

Black women experience unique stressors and mental health challenges that intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising critical questions such as who acts as a trustworthy therapist for Black women and what messaging is most effective for encouraging self-care and therapy. Four experiments with Black U.S. women (<i>N</i> = 1,961) aimed to answer these questions. Receiving messages from Black (vs. White) sources/therapists led to consistently positive outcomes (e.g., trust, positive attitudes toward mental treatment; Studies 1a-2), particularly among participants high in suspicion of White individuals' motives. However, a matched gendered source/therapist (i.e., a White woman) produced inconsistently small effects. Although culturally targeted (vs. non-targeted) messages enhanced beliefs that the therapists conveyed allyship, they did not improve trust (Studies 1a-2). Importantly, a message emphasizing the need for policy-level changes sparked trust (Studies 2-3). This work has implications for developing effective ally and health messaging and fostering trust between therapists and Black women.