Psychological strengths among Black women who head households

Abstract

Fifty Black single women residing in a Federally subsidized multi-family unit in the southwestern United States were interviewed and administered four psychological inventories. The inventories measured self-esteem, depression, state and trait anxiety.

It was hypothesized that several personal and familial characteristics, based on the literature, would be predictors of the psychological status of the sample. Multiple Regression was used to analyze dependent and independent sets of factors. Findings suggest that Black single women who are primarily poor do possess psychological strengths resulting from their personal and familial characteristics. Further examinations of Black poor matrifocal families are needed in light of the increasing poverty rate and the paucity of studies found relative to this population.