Social Support for Black Men: Building a Culturally Affirming, Community-Driven Approach to Mental Health Intervention

Kevin Ramseur II

Advisor: Lauren B Cattaneo, PhD, Department of Psychology

Committee Members: Christiann Esposito-Smythers, Sarah Fischer, Shekila Melchior

Online Location, https://zoom.us/j/92939774496?pwd=9SKreEaSA5qr7YPgubGKrN5ZUIUkeJ.1
May 05, 2025, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Abstract:

Black American men face systemic and interpersonal oppression, including anti-Black racism and White heteropatriarchal supremacy, which restrict access to social support while simultaneously making it more essential that they utilize support networks. However, there is a dearth of research on social support interventions for Black men’s mental health, and no systematic reviews that synthesize current knowledge. This dissertation addresses these gaps through two complementary studies. Study 1 is a systematic review that synthesized the current literature on social support interventions for Black men. The review yielded common support mechanisms, theoretical frameworks, and culturally responsive strategies implemented in existing interventions. The review also highlighted a lack of multi-level support approaches, limited theoretical consensus, and insufficient alignment between intervention activities and community values. Study 2 is a qualitative study that sought to 1) gather perspectives on community experiences providing social support for Black men and 2) empower community members to generate effective, sustainable solutions that shape guidelines for developing a social support intervention. This study included 5 focus group discussions with n = 19 community members working within the education system, justice system, healthcare system, and non-profit industry to support Black men. Common themes emerged related to support strategies, outcomes, program design, Afrocentric values, critical consciousness, contextual barriers, and best practices. These findings will inform the development of a social support intervention toolkit to enhance Black men’s mental health.