Research Projects

Please click the links included in the pictures below for more information about each study.

My research, clinical practice, and scholarly endeavors uplift Black women's perinatal experiences. Through these endeavors, I ​explore the connections between maternal health disparities and maternal mental health outcomes. As I further my research agenda, ​I intend to investigate the impacts of gendered racism on the relationship between Black mothers and daughters among other ​topics.

Delphi methodology

Study ​Information

The use of culturally responsive instruments in ​interprofessional settings (e.g., mental health, pediatrics, ​obstetrics and gynecology, social work, nursing) is critical to ​decreasing the frequency of perinatal race-related ​psychological stressors and minimizing their long-lasting ​impacts. Using the knowledge and expertise of informed ​mental health experts in the field, this study was an initial ​step toward developing a screening tool to quantitatively ​measure the mental health impact of Black women’s ​experiences of race-related psychological stressors during ​pregnancy and childbirth.

This study was supported by funding from the Association for Counselor Education ​and Supervision (ACES).

Cognitive Interviewing

Study Information

This study was one of the most important steps ​toward developing a screening tool that would ​capture Black women’s experiences of race-​related psychological stressors during pregnancy ​and childbirth. Specifically, this study uplifted the ​voices and experiences of pregnant and ​postpartum Black women themselves. As a means ​of data triangulation, items that were developed ​by experts during the Delphi study were discussed ​with these women during cognitive interviews.

Research study: Instrument validation

Study Information

This study represented the initial psychometric validation for ​the screening tool I created, The Prepartum Form for Evaluating ​Race-Related Psychological Stressors (PP-FERRPS)©. This initial ​validation study determined that the 30-item, five-subscale ​PP-FERRPS© demonstrates initial reliability, convergent, and ​concurrent validity. Because this instrument marks the first to ​identify and define perinatal race-related psychological ​stressors for Black women, follow-up validation testing will need ​to be conducted; however, the development of the PP-​FERRPS© is a significant step toward birth equity, reproductive ​justice, and culturally responsive maternal mental health ​screenings for Black women.

This study was supported by funding from the Southern Association for ​Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES).

Please click the links included in the boxes below for more information..