Date
1-14-2026
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)
Chair
Scott D. Edgar
Keywords
African American, police officers, stigma, mental health, help-seeking behaviors, barriers
Disciplines
Psychology
Recommended Citation
Rhone, Janie Cooper, "A Phenomenological Study of African American Police Officers: Internal and External Barriers to Seeking Help" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7883.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7883
Abstract
Although first responders serve and protect the lives and property of their community members daily, they are frequently exposed to traumatic events. Because of this exposure, first responders face an increased risk of experiencing adverse psychological issues. These issues could include various struggles, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. That said, first responders have traditionally been resistant to seeking help when dealing with any mental health crisis. Reasons for this reluctance vary and largely surround significant barriers and various forms of stigmatization. Even further, African American police officers are found to be even less likely to seek help than other populations simply because seeking help for mental health within their culture is both stigmatized and discouraged. The purpose of this qualitative study is to better understand the help-seeking behaviors of African American police officers and how they address mental health concerns. The theoretical framework guiding this study is informed by Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), Labeling Theory (Becker, 1997), and Constructivist Self-Development Theory (McCann & Pearlman, 1990) which together provide a multidimensional lens for understanding how cultural, organizational, and personal factors shape African American police officers’ decisions about seeking help for mental health. The study explored the firsthand experiences of African American police officers and their reluctance to seek mental health counseling following traumatic events in their daily work routines. Data collection consisted of semi-structured open-ended individual interviews with twelve participants. The results of this study will serve as a foundation in understanding the complexities of how African American police officers navigate mental health crises and serve as a guide for developing future initiatives and research around culturally appropriate interventions that may more effectively increase help-seeking behaviors.
