Count on Me: An Exploration of the Factors That Shape Perceptions of Social Support Among Black Women in Social Work Research Doctoral Programs

Background

In 2021, less than 3% of the research doctorates were awarded to Black women across all disciplines (National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). Unfortunately, the number of PhDs awarded in social work is not disaggregated, so it is not possible to ascertain how many Black women are graduating with research doctorates in social work (CSWE, 2023). Pervasive experiences of racism and microaggressions can deeply impact graduate students of color, leaving them feeling marginalized, unseen, stigmatized, and isolated within academic settings, adversely affecting their academic achievement (Grier-Reid et al., 2019; Vital et al., 2023).

The authors will present findings from an ongoing study exploring perceptions of support among Black women in social work PhD programs. This research project is being funded by a grant awarded by the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE).

Objectives

Objective 1: Investigate variation in the perceptions of social support by age, marital status, parental status, length of time in the profession, licensure status, residency status, and MSW obtainment among PhD students who are Black women.

Objective 2: Examine differences and commonalities among students’ perceptions of social support according to demographic factors.

Objective 3: Examine how perceptions of support and lack of support contribute to the achievement or lack of achievement of students who are Black women in doctoral programs.

Methods

The authors are conducting an exploratory cross-sectional, mixed-methods study examining Black women’s perceived levels of support in their social work doctoral research program. The authors are utilizing the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) (Zimet et al., 1988) to measure social support. Sociodemographic measures will also be collected. This study will utilize an online quantitative survey (Qualtrics) with fifty Black women who are students currently enrolled in top-ranked social work research doctoral programs to evaluate the impact of demographic factors on their perceived support. Participants can then elect to participate in focus group interviews to gather information about their experiences of support and/or lack of support in research doctorate programs. Quantitative data will be analyzed using univariate and bivariate analyses as well as regression analysis. Qualitative data will be analyzed using thematic content analysis.

Implications for Social Work Education

The findings from this study are critically important in that the voices of Black women can be intertwined into the all-too-white narrative of the social work profession. To truly embrace anti-oppressive practices and center Black voices, social work researchers must explore ways to better understand the experiences of Black women in doctoral programs so that their growth can be nurtured, and they can feel supported. This study can potentially have wider implications for all women from BIPOC communities. The authors posit that exploring approaches to support Black women in ways that are more than performative is a crucial step towards decolonizing social work education, which is critical in light of “anti-woke” legislation and federal legislation surrounding affirmative action practices (Gray et al., 2013; Students for Fair Admissions, INC. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2023).