An Ecological Perspective on Building School-Based Mental Health Services for Black Girls

Background and Purpose: There is a growing body of evidence that explores the schooling experiences and academic achievement of Black girls, but limited research evidence that explores the unique mental health experiences of Black girls in schools. While school-based mental health services can serve as a critical resource for students navigating psychological distress, these systems may overlook the unique experiences of Black girls at the intersection of their race and gender. To fully understand the mental health disparities Black girls’ experience within schools, this paper seeks to examine building a framework to create school-based mental health programs.

This paper explores ways to provide an intersectional framework by using phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST) to guide researchers in creating a mental health program that centers the voices of Black girls. It is vital to identify the gaps and challenges faced in relation to receiving school-based mental health services that is culturally responsive and equitable.

Methods: Twenty participants engaged in this study through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and were between the ages of 14 – 18 who self-identified as Black. The participants were recruited via social media, email, and through the use of purposive sampling. Interviews were conducted and recorded using Zoom. The audio transcription was conducted in Rev and inductive coding in NVIVO qualitative software.

Results: The data analysis revealed that the participants highlighted the importance of diversity in the racial and gender identity of counselors providing school-based mental health services. Furthermore, participants desired a connection with a counselor who identified as Black and a female. The data suggested that participants who did not have access to a Black therapist received emotional support from Black staff, such as a coach, school resource officer, and school administrator. Participants also suggested the importance of having affinity groups for Black girls that implemented wellness programming.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings in this study recognized that Black girls’ experiences with mental health were viewed as less significant when compared to their White counterparts in school spaces. Black girls were hesitant to seek counseling services in school due to the lack of representation of Black female counselors and social workers. Other barriers to seeking support services in school related to understanding school support roles. School districts should clearly describe the distinctions in the roles of school mental health professionals, school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. While this paper explored mental health experiences of Black girls, it was limited to including gender identity and sexuality of Black girl’s experiences in schools. Black girls who are part of the LGBTQ community face unique experiences, such as harassment and bullying, which may cause a decrease in psychological well-being. Therefore, future research should consider exploring how LGBTQ Black experiences may differ from those of cisgender Black girls to ensure an intersectional approach to addressing racial discrimination and mental health concerns in schools.