The Racial Impact of Depression in Women Leaders

open_access
Open Access
Author:
Manjezi, Baya
Area of Honors:
Psychology
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Kenneth N. Levy, Thesis Honors Advisor
Alicia Ann Grandey, Thesis Supervisor
Keywords:
intersectionality
leadership
depression
Abstract:
Evidence suggests conflicting findings on whether White employees are more likely to experience more depressive symptoms than Black employees as well as how gender influences this relationship. The purpose of this study is to assess how the intersection between race and gender with consideration of a person’s leadership status influences the severity of depression someone faces. Applying the Double Jeopardy Theory and the Role Congruity Theory to form competing hypotheses, I propose that leadership will increase racial differences in depression for Black women experiencing the additive discrimination of both their race and gender contributing to the severity of their depressive symptoms. Contrastingly, leadership will increase the racial differences in depression for White women as they are penalized for exhibiting traits opposing the communal ones prescribed to them in society by occupying leadership roles. A survey study examining scores on depression with 148 full-time women employees was administered. The results displayed that none of the hypotheses were supported. An exploratory analysis investigating the effect of mistreatment revealed a significant direct effect of leadership status on perceived racial and gender mistreatment. This research has important practical implications, suggesting that a follow-up study with similar predictors and depression should be explored. Additionally, the limitation of sample size indicates the possibility of different results with a larger sample size.