Little information is available about the mental health needs of professional African American women. The vast majority of published research focus on low-income and working class African American women. Yet, the ranks of professional Black women are growing and the available data indicate their mental health needs are unmet. Panic attacks are the most prevalent form of anxiety experienced by professional African American women. In any given year, 100.000 African American women will experience their first panic attack. Sister Circles are support groups that draw upon the strength and courage found in African American women's friendship networks. Originating with the Black Church and Black Club movement, numerous African American organizations have used Sister Circles with varying degrees of success to raise awareness about physical health. The possibility exists that if embedded within the professional African American community, Sister Circles may provide a viable way to educate this population about panic attacks and teach strategies that will lessen the number, intensity, and impact panic attacks have on their lives. To this end, the Specific Aims are as follows: 1. In collaboration with community participants, to assess Sister Circles as a psycho-educational intervention for raising professional African American women's awareness about panic attacks, their consequences, and to teach women strategies to lessen the number, intensity, and impact of panic attacks. 2. In collaboration with community participants, to train professional African women to deliver the psycho- educational Sister Circle intervention. 3. In collaboration with community participants, to gather information that will lead to refinements in training and implementation of the psycho-educational Sister Circle intervention. Information from this project will also yield knowledge about the feasibility of collaborating with African American professional women and service organizations in educating their communities about mental health. This research involves a long-term commitment by all partners. The professional/service organizations and the research team will share ownership of the Sister Circles. The joint ownership has the potential to allow for replication of the Sister Circles model at regional and national levels for the organizations. Information from this project will yield knowledge about the feasibility of collaborating with African American professional women and service organizations in educating their communities about mental health. This research involves a long-term commitment by all partners. The professional/service organizations and the research team will share ownership of the Sister Circles. The joint ownership has the potential to allow for replication of the Sister Circles model at regional and national levels for the organizations.
| Neal-Barnett, Angela; Stadulis, Robert; Murray, Marsheena et al. (2011) Sister Circles as a Culturally Relevant Intervention for Anxious African American Women. Clin Psychol (New York) 18:266-273 |
| Neal-Barnett, Angela M; Stadulis, Robert; Payne, Margaret Ralston et al. (2011) In the company of my sisters: sister circles as an anxiety intervention for professional African American women. J Affect Disord 129:213-8 |
