Perinatal Race-Related Stressors for Black Women: A Delphi Study

Black women’s maternal mental health has emerged as a public health issue with rising numbers of health disparities, yet mental health researchers have been slow to link these topics empirically to mental health practices. In this study, the authors used Delphi methodology to capture Black women’s maternal mental health concerns through the lens of interdisciplinary mental health professionals. The Delphi study was conducted in three phases, each of which identified race-related psychological stressors that Black women might face during the perinatal period, and yielded a final list of 35 stressors. In addition, following consensus among panelists, the agreed-upon definition of a perinatal race-related psychological stressor is presented. The information provided within this article benefits mental health clinicians, including counseling psychologists, counselors, educators, and graduate students, as they integrate culturally responsive practices into mental health research and practice.