Navigating Identity and Resilience: Supporting Black Women With Multiple Sclerosis

Black women with multiple sclerosis developed and maintained cultural expectations of strength, self-reliance, and caregiving known as superwoman schema (SWS) while also navigating their disability identity. The SWS framework guided this study and highlighted unique factors that contributed to the help-seeking behaviors of Black women. The following three questions directed this investigation: Do Black women associate with the SWS?; What is the essence of the lived experience for Black women with MS?; and What challenges do Black women with MS experience regarding maintaining role obligations of SWS and the development of a disability identity? Implications of these findings suggest that SWS, typically characterized as having negative psychological ramifications, can serve as a source of empowerment with Black women facing a life-changing disability. Through this manuscript, we advocate for further research and publications that highlight the importance of mental health of Black women with MS, provide resources for mental health professionals, and offer strategies for counselors and counselor educators to support Black women with MS in navigating the cultural demands of SWS.