Determinants of Self-Care Practices among Black Women in Helping Professions: An Empirical Study

Abstract

The field of human resource management is paying greater attention to self-care as a strategy to address employee stress and burnout. Women in helping professions, such as social work, nursing, and education, have received scholarly attention about their health and wellness. However, there is a paucity of empirical research about the self-care practices of Black women in helping professions. This quantitative study aimed to address this research gap. More specifically, this study examined the impact of mentoring, social support, role overload, and satisfaction with compensation policies on the self-care practices of Black women in the helping professions. Data were collected using a survey of 224 Black women from organizations such as the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Black Nurses Network, and Black Women Education Leaders. After validating the self-care scale using exploratory factor analysis, a multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the determinants of self-care practices. Results showed that social support and satisfaction with compensation and benefit policies were positive predictors of self-care practices, and role overload was a negative predictor. A thematic analysis of the open-ended responses reinforced the quantitative findings. Compensation policies that provide work-life balance, flexibility, competitive wages, and various types of insurance are essential in promoting self-care practices. The lived experiences of Black women in this study indicated that their intersectional lives require not only the absence of structural and systemic barriers but also the necessity of time and the presence of equitable, safe, and inclusive spaces for them to thrive in all aspects of life.