Gendered Racial Microaggressions and Emotional Eating for Black Young Adult Women: The Mediating Roles of Superwoman Schema and Self-Compassion.

This article examines how gendered racial microaggressions—subtle, everyday expressions of oppression based on the intersection of race and gender—are associated with emotional eating among Black young adult women in the United States. Using data from a 2021 national survey of 504 Black women aged 18–35, the study tested a serial mediation model in which exposure to gendered racial microaggressions predicted greater endorsement of the superwoman schema (a culturally specific role emphasizing strength, emotional suppression, and self-reliance), which in turn was linked to lower self-compassion, ultimately associated with increased emotional eating. Results indicated that the relationship between gendered racial microaggressions and emotional eating was fully mediated by the superwoman schema and self-compassion, highlighting these factors as potential targets for culturally responsive interventions aimed at improving health behaviors in this population. The study underscores the importance of addressing intersecting systems of oppression and promoting self-compassion to mitigate stress-related health risks among Black young adult women.