Strong Black Woman schema and suicide risk in Black women: Understanding the pathways through the IMV model of suicide behavior

Previous research has linked the Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema to various negative psychological effects (Castelin & White, 2022; Jones et al., 2021; Liao et al., 2019). However, the mechanisms through which this schema influences mental health outcomes remain underexplored. This study focused on understanding the pathways leading to suicide risk among Black women, specifically examining how the SBW schema relates to suicide ideation through the mediating factors of defeat and entrapment as outlined in the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) model of suicide behavior. A sample of 270 self-identified African American/Black women participated in the study. Mediation analysis revealed that defeat and entrapment played significant roles in mediating the connection between the SBW schema and suicide ideation. These findings suggest that the SBW schema indirectly impacts suicide ideation by fostering feelings of defeat and entrapment. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the nuanced pathways influencing suicide ideation in Black women and underscores the importance of further research on their lived experiences with suicide.