Date of Award

2-4-2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Robin Oatis-Ballew

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study examined how Black Baby Boomer and Millennial women perceive and internalize the Superwoman Schema (SWS), a cultural expectation emphasizing strength, emotional restraint, and self-sacrifice. Grounded in Black feminist thought, the analysis explored how the SWS is passed down like prayer, quietly inherited, spiritually charged, and embedded in the everyday practices of survival. Four themes emerged: Being Everything to Everybody, Carrying It All Until It Breaks You, We Were Taught Not to Say No, and Learning to Put the Cape Down. Baby Boomers often described the SWS as a necessary legacy forged through historical struggle, while Millennials more frequently challenged its psychological demands and sought to redefine or release inherited expectations of invulnerability. Findings illustrate the emotional toll of the SWS, its intergenerational transmission, and evolving narratives of strength, wellness, and vulnerability. Implications for counseling psychology, social justice, and generationally responsive mental health interventions are discussed.

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