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Chapter 1 - Internalized Stereotypes and the Impact on Black Couples

from Part I - Race, Racism, and Identity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

By
Cynthia Chestnut
Edited by
Yamonte Cooper  and
Erica Holmes
Yamonte Cooper
Affiliation:
El Camino College, Torrance, California
Erica Holmes
Affiliation:
Antioch University, Los Angeles
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Summary

This research investigated patterns of African American couples’ positive and negative stereotyping and perceptions of couple adjustment and examined the relationship between demographic variables and African American couples’ positive/negative stereotyping of each other and couple adjustment. Respondents (n = 142; 101 females, 41 males) were 18 years or older, second-generation African Americans in a heterosexual relationship. The significant findings in this study were as follows: (a) older age is correlated with negative stereotypes of Black females and of Black males; (b) women who had a higher education endorsed more stereotypes of negative Black females than those who did not complete high school; (c) females had higher negative stereotypes of Black women and Black men than males; and (d) both being in a committed relationship and holding positive stereotypes related highly to overall adjustment in this sample of African Americans. Implications for further research and clinical work with African American couples are discussed.

Keywords

internalized stereotypesBlack couplesBlack menBlack women
Type
Chapter
Information
Black Couples Therapy
Clinical Theory and Practice
 , pp. 11 - 37
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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