









































19

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology
Fall 2024 - Vol. 23

Copyright 2024 by the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia University

Exploring the Relationship Between Gendered 
Racism, Identity Centrality, and Binge-Eating 

Symptoms Among Black Women

 Gendered racism refers to discrimination based 
on gender and racial identity, which is a common ex-
perience for many Black women. To cope with gen-
dered racism, Black women may utilize behaviors that 
are associated with adverse mental health outcomes 
known as maladaptive coping. Examples of maladap-
tive coping include disordered eating, like binge eating 
and emotional eating (Brown, 2022). Binge eating is 
marked by eating a large amount of food within a rela-
tively short period; it is often accompanied by feelings 
of distress and a loss of control when eating (American 
Psychiatric Association, 2013). Binge eating disorder 
(BED) occurs when this behavior happens at least 
once a week for at least three months (American Psy-
chiatric Association, 2013). Emotional eating is when 
an individual is in a negative emotional state and con-
sumes food often high in fat or sugar as a coping re-
sponse to stress (Arnow et al., 1995; Volpe et al.,2024). 
 The literature has reported varying rates of binge 
eating in Black women as percentages have ranged from 
1.5%-36% (Goode et al., 2020; Scott et al., 2018). For 
binge eating, research has primarily focused on White 
women and often has regarded it as a disorder that 
was more prominent in this racial group (Marques et 
al., 2011; Watson et al., 2019). Yet, other research has 
shown that binge eating rates are higher for Black wom-
en compared to their White counterparts (Goode et al., 
2018). Binge eating is an imperative maladaptive disor-

der to focus on in Black women due to its high preva-
lence rates in this community, which are not matched 
with equally as high diagnosis and treatment rates. 
 The researchers chose to focus on binge eating 
for this study due to its high prevalence among Black 
women. Black women have some of the lowest rates of 
receiving care and treatment for disordered eating de-
spite their high prevalence rates of binge eating (Goode 
et al., 2020).  So much so that less than 8% of Black 
women with binge eating disorder seek treatment in 
comparison to the 20% of White women with BED 
who seek treatment, showcasing that Black women 
have some of the lowest rates of access to eating dis-
order care (Goode et al., 2022; Wilfley et al., 2001).  
 Even for the Black women who do access treat-
ment, their retention is low (Thompson-Brenner et 
al., 2013). The health disparities that exist for Black 
women plagued by binge eating suggest that the cur-
rent eating disorder treatment and interventions are 
not the best fit for Black women in a way that is under-
standing of their lived experiences, culture, and gen-
dered racial identity (Goode et al., 2020; Marques et 
al., 2011). Gendered racism, the intersection of racism 
and sexism, can be used to explain the intersectional, 
discriminatory lived experiences that Black women 
often encounter (Behrendt-Mihalski, 2017; Thomas 
et al., 2008). Encounters of gendered racism      occur 
throughout Black women’s lifetimes, so it is crucial 

Black women often experience gendered racism, the intersection of racism and sexism. They adopt coping mecha-
nisms in response, such as avoidance, spirituality, and disordered eating behaviors. The researchers focused on binge 
eating, defined as eating a large amount of food within a relatively short period; it is often accompanied by feelings 
of distress and a loss of control when eating. The high prevalence of binge eating among Black women led the 
researchers to explore the psychosocial risk factors that contribute to binge eating among Black women. They em-
ployed the intersectionality theory to investigate the relationship between gendered racism, identity centrality, and 
binge eating. The current study sought to understand the relationship between gendered racism and binge eating 
as moderated by gendered racial identity centrality, the degree to which Black women view their race and gender as 
integral to their identity. Participants were 281 Black women from 18-35 who completed an online survey via Qual-
trics. The moderation results indicated that participants with low or medium levels of identity centrality and more 
experiences with gendered racism were associated with higher levels of binge eating. Conversely, when participants’ 
identity centrality was high, there was a non-significant influence on the relationship between gendered racism and 
binge eating behaviors. To implement effective interventions for Black women, healthcare providers must gain a 
better understanding of their unique lived experiences, such as the influence of gendered racism and Black women’s 
barriers to receiving proper diagnosis and treatment for disordered eating. 
 Keywords: loneliness, isolation, mental health, alcohol use, traumatic stress

Rachael O. Holly & Danielle Dickens
Department of Psychology, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia



20

HOLLY & DICKENS

to examine the ways that such encounters negative-
ly impact the way that they interact with the world 
(Jackson et al., 2010; Volpe et al., 2024).  The purpose 
of this current study was to examine the relationship 
between gendered racism, gendered racial identity cen-
trality, and binge eating behaviors in Black women. 
Binge Eating in Black Women
 As defined by the American Psychiatric Associ-
ation (2013), binge eating occurs when an individu-
al’s eating patterns are of a higher quantity than what 
would typically be eaten in a discrete period, in addi-
tion to the feeling of losing control when eating. Past 
research has examined Black women’s binge eating 
symptoms, but more research is required to under-
stand the factors that influence Black women’s binge 
eating. While past researchers have found that binge 
eating is almost twice as prevalent in Black women, 5%, 
as it is in White women, 2.5%, significant disparities 
exist in Black women’s access to treatment for this dis-
order (Goode et al., 2022; Striegel-Moore et al., 2000). 
 The loss of control when eating, characterized 
by binge eating, is associated with feelings of psy-
chological distress, in addition to and is exacerbated 
by the discrimination that Black women face from 
gendered racism (Brown et al., 2022; Tanofsky-Kraff 
et al., 2012). Such findings highlight the racial dis-
parities often seen in both research and healthcare 
treatment for Black women as they are frequently      
overlooked in the discussion of care for maladaptive 
eating behaviors.  Black women have such high prev-
alence rates for binge eating, but little research exists 
to identify the psychosocial factors contributing to 
these rates. In understanding the lived experience of 
Black women, it is critical to know the different ave-
nues through which discrimination and oppression 
can maladaptively be seen in Black women’s health 
behaviors, which influences poorer health outcomes. 
Black Women’s Experiences with Gendered Rac-
ism and Eating Behaviors
 Experiences with gendered racism, the inter-
section of sexism and racism, can serve as a chronic 
stressor for Black women and are linked to increased 
psychological distress, lowered well-being, and mal-
adaptive coping strategies (Lewis, 2023; Lewis et al., 
2017). These encounters can also be seen via gen-
dered racist microaggressions, which are more sub-
tle, everyday experiences with gendered racism that 
contribute to the perpetuation of this form of dis-

crimination in Black women’s everyday lives (Lewis 
& Neville, 2015). Gendered racism can cause Black 
women to become hyper-cognizant of their racial and 
gender identities, as these discriminatory experienc-
es make them hyperaware of the negative stereotypes 
often attributed to them (Williams & Lewis, 2021). 
 Past research has examined the relationship be-
tween experiences of gendered racism and emotion-
al eating as mediated by the Superwoman schema. 
They found that there was a significant relationship 
between gendered racial microaggressions and emo-
tional eating. In addition to the superwoman schema 
and self-compassion, which mediated the relationship 
between gendered racial microaggressions and emo-
tional eating (Volpe et al., 2024). According to these 
researchers, high alignment with the Superwoman 
schema and lower levels of self-compassion mediat-
ed the relation between gendered racial microaggres-
sions and emotional eating. This finding suggests the 
vital role that such factors play in maladaptive eating 
behaviors in Black women. While the literature has 
examined the relationship between gendered racism 
and emotional eating through the context of stereo-
types, research has not yet examined how one’s align-
ment with one's identity as a Black woman can impact 
maladaptive eating as a response to gendered racism. 
 Gendered racism also highlights the need for re-
search to incorporate an intersectional lens to under-
stand Black women’s encounters with discrimina-
tion, as they cannot be defined solely by their race or 
gender. As a response to experiences with gendered 
racism, research shows that Black women will turn 
to emotional eating, which can help to understand 
further the maladaptive health behaviors that Black 
women adopt in response to the stress created by 
gendered and racial discrimination (Diggins et al., 
2015; Volpe et al., 2024). Though it is showcased in 
the literature that Black women often adopt emotion-
al eating, the current research primarily focuses on 
this behavior as solely a response to racism or exam-
ines racism and sexism separately (Pickett et al., 2020; 
Volpe et al., 2024). There is a lack of understanding 
of the intersectional impact that gendered racism has 
on emotional eating and other disordered eating be-
haviors, such as binge eating, among Black women. 
Buffering Effects of Gendered Racial Centrality 
 While past literature has noted that stronger iden-
tification with racial identity can serve as a buffer for 



21

BINGE EATING & IDENTITY CENTRALITY IN BLACK WOMEN

women’s identities should be understood in interac-
tion with each other (Collins, 2015). Intersectionality 
theory is a framework that encompasses how a Black 
woman’s experiences of oppression must be under-
stood through interlocking systems of oppression. 
Their multiple marginalized identities, such as race, 
gender, and class, cannot be seen as separate from each 
other and instead need to be understood as interlocked 
(Crenshaw, 1989). Considering the multiple forms of 
discrimination that Black women encounter is crucial 
to recognizing factors that exacerbate the high preva-
lence of their binge eating. To understand how gen-
dered racism contributes to Black women’s adverse 
health outcomes, an intersectional approach to aspects 
of this group’s identity was utilized (Collins, 2015). 
Given the limited research on Black women in the eat-
ing disorder literature, often intersectionality theory is 
not used      to recognize how discrimination faced at 
the intersection of race and gender can influence one’s 
disordered eating (Gwira, 2024). Intersectionality 
theory (Crenshaw, 1989) is a necessary framework to 
examine the influence of Black women’s intersectional 
experiences of oppression on binge eating symptoms. 
 Utilizing intersectionality theory (Crenshaw, 
1989) can help to understand how holding multi-
ple marginalized identities, such as being a woman 
and Black, puts Black women at greater risk for ex-
periencing discrimination, which is associated with 
greater negative health outcomes (Burke et al., 2020; 
Rouhani, 2014). The intersectionality framework can 
support the knowledge of Black women’s eating dis-
orders, as past literature has noted how psychological 
distress related to their identity is linked to maladap-
tive coping and disordered eating behaviors (Brown et 
al., 2022; Watson et al., 2019). To best understand the 
multiple avenues in which discrimination negatively 
impacts Black women’s lived experience and, in turn, 
their disordered eating behavior, an intersectional lens 
must be utilized. The literature has started to inte-
grate intersectionality theory more in eating disorder 
research by considering how the intersection of Black 
women’s identities can contribute to the recognition 
and treatment of binge eating (Dickens et al., 2024; 
Gwira, 2024). The researchers utilized intersectional-
ity theory to help identify why such significant health 
disparities exist with Black women’s disordered eating.
The Present Study
 Research on Black women’s disordered eating be-

racial discrimination, much less is known about how 
gendered racial identity centrality can impact the expe-
riences and impacts of discrimination on Black women 
(Sellers & Shelton, 2003; Syzmanski & Lewis, 2016). 
Gendered racial identity centrality entails the extent 
to which Black women integrally define themselves 
by their gender and race and the degree to which these 
aspects of their identity are significant to their self-con-
cept (Thomas et al., 2011; Thomas, 2004). Moreover, 
past research has also found that Black women who 
have higher levels of gendered racial identity centrality 
are more likely to engage in avoidance or denial of a 
stressor, otherwise known as disengagement coping, 
when experiences of gendered racism are high (Szy-
manski & Lewis, 2016). Also, Black women with more 
positive perceptions of their identities were associated 
with lower levels of distress (Sellers & Shelton, 2003; 
Williams & Lewis, 2019). Few studies have explored 
the relationship between gendered racial identity cen-
trality, discrimination, and mental health in Black 
women. Thus, more research needs to be conducted 
to examine whether gendered racial centrality can have 
a buffering influence on the relationship between gen-
dered racism and adverse behaviors like binge eating. 
 Currently, little research exists to fully under-
stand the extent to which gendered racial identity 
buffers against prevalent adverse mental health out-
comes faced by Black women, such as disordered eat-
ing.  Past research has examined the moderating role 
that gendered racial centrality has on the relationship 
between gendered racism and Black women's psycho-
logical distress. Also, the literature has explored how 
gendered racial identity centrality is linked to increased 
psychological distress in Black women. Dickens et al. 
(2023) found that gendered racial identity centrality 
did not moderate or decrease the relationship between 
gendered racism and identity shifting.  Similarly, Beh-
rendt-Mihalski (2017) found that gendered racial 
identity centrality did not moderate the relationship 
between gendered racism and depressive symptoms 
in Black women. To enhance disordered eating inter-
ventions for Black women, it must be understood how 
they perceive the aspects of their identity, such as race 
and gender, as they relate to their lived experience and 
the intersections of their gendered racial identities.
Intersectionality Theory
 The overarching framework for this study was 
intersectionality theory, which illustrates how Black 



22

HOLLY & DICKENS

health behaviors among participants between the 
ages of 18-35 (Jones et al., 2021). This study's sample 
consisted of 281 women in the United States. Their 
ages ranged from 18-35 (M = 27.29, SD = 5.78). The 
majority of the participants self-identified as either 
Black or of African descent, 81.5% (n = 242), hetero-
sexual, 81.5% (n = 242), Christian, 71.0% (n = 211). 
For educational attainment, the highest percentage 
of participants had received a high school diploma/
GED, 20.9% (n = 62). The median household in-
come for the participants was $15,000–30,000. See 
Table 1 for more detailed demographic information. 
 The researchers received IRB approval from Spel-
man College and Chicago State University to conduct 
this study. A survey was administered via the web 
platform Qualtrics, where participants completed 
questionnaires about their experiences with discrimi-
nation and stereotypes, coping mechanisms, and their 
influences on health behaviors and well-being. The 
Qualtrics survey was distributed through online com-
munity boards for Black women, social media sites, 
professional listservs (e.g., APA’s Section 1: Division 
35 – Black Women Psychologists), student organiza-
tions, and personal and professional connections (e.g., 
recruitment emails to personal connections, profes-
sional colleagues). The researchers also used Qualtrics 
to further recruit a larger sample of Black women. 
The participants not recruited via Qualtrics were en-
tered into a raffle where they could win one      out 
of four      $25 gift cards. While the participants re-
cruited via Qualtrics received $5 in compensation (an 
amount Qualtrics established given the survey length). 
Measures
Gendered Racism
 The Scheduled Sexist Events (SSE; Klonoff & 
Landrine, 1995) was used to examine the participant's 
experiences with gendered racism. The scale was re-
vised to be specific to Black women’s experiences with 
discrimination based on their gendered racial iden-
tities. It assessed the frequency with which a woman 
has experienced recent racist and sexist discrimination. 
The scale consisted of 20 items that utilized questions 
related to experiences of racism and sexism from the 
participant’s childhood to the present. The scale had 
four dimensions: “(a) sexist degradation, (b) sexism in 
distant relationships, (c) sexism in close relationships, 
and (d) sexist discrimination in the workplace” (Jones 
et al., 2021). Sample items from this scale include “How 

havior often focuses on singular aspects of their iden-
tity, such as solely their race or their gender. However, 
much less is understood about how the intersections of 
their identities contribute to how they respond to and 
cope with experiences with gendered racism. Thus, the 
researchers used intersectionality theory to guide their 
study on how Black women’s racial and gender iden-
tities, along with the discrimination they face due to 
these identities, contribute to their maladaptive eating 
behaviors. The influence of gendered racial identity 
centrality on binge eating behaviors in Black wom-
en and the link between experiences with gendered 
racism and disordered eating are imperative areas of 
study. It is essential to explore this topic among Black 
women to understand why disordered eating, like 
binge eating, is seen at such high rates in Black women. 
 Due to this, the current study aimed to examine 
how encounters with gendered racism are related to 
binge eating behaviors in Black women. Along with 
to what degree Black women’s gendered-racial identity 
centrality moderated this relationship. The researchers 
hypothesized that experiences with gendered racism 
will positively influence the binge eating behaviors of 
Black women (Hypothesis 1). Also, the researchers 
hypothesized that gendered racial identity centrality 
would moderate the relationship between gendered 
racism and binge eating behaviors in Black women 
(Hypothesis 2). So, higher levels of gendered racial 
identity centrality would buffer against the positive 
relationship between gendered racism and binge eat-
ing behaviors. The researchers hypothesized that lower 
levels of gendered racial identity centrality would be as-
sociated with a stronger influence on the relationship 
between gendered racism and binge eating. So, low-
er levels of gendered racial identity centrality would 
strengthen the positive relationship between gendered 
racism and binge eating behaviors in Black women.  

Method
Participants and Procedure
 Participants were recruited via social media and 
emails to professional and personal contacts from 
various areas across the United States. The eligibility 
criteria for this study were that participants had to 
identify as Black/African American women and be 
in the 18-35 age range. The current study was part 
of a larger study that examined Black women’s expe-
riences with stereotypes and discrimination and their 



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BINGE EATING & IDENTITY CENTRALITY IN BLACK WOMEN

I experience strong urges to eat which I seem unable 
to control, but at other times I can control my eating 
urges,” “d. I feel incapable of controlling urges to eat. 
I have a fear of not being able to stop eating voluntari-
ly.”. The average scores were taken; higher scores indi-
cated more severe binge eating behaviors, while lower 
scores indicated fewer binge eating behaviors. The in-
ternal reliability score for the original BES was 0.87, 
while Croncbach’s α for the current study was 0.91.
Data Analysis
 The data from the Qualtrics survey was exported 
to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 
24 (IBM Corporation, 2016). Descriptive statistics 
were calculated for the demographic variables, which 
included the percentage and frequency.  Preliminary 
correlation analyses were conducted to examine the 
correlations between the variables. Multiple regression 
was performed via PROCESS macro model 1(Hayes, 
2017), with the bootstrapping method based on 5000 
resamples to analyze the variables that influenced 
binge eating behaviors in Black women, including gen-
dered racism and gendered racial identity centrality. 

Results
Preliminary Analysis
  H1 proposed that gendered racism will be posi-
tively related to binge eating behaviors in Black wom-
en. Gendered racism was positively associated with 
binge eating behaviors in Black women, r = .14, p <  
.01. Therefore, H1 was supported. Correlations were 
run to explore the relationship between all the study’s 
variables. The results indicated a significantly positive 
relationship between gendered racism and gendered 
racial identity centrality, r (241) = .14, p = .03. The re-
lationship between gendered racism and binge eating 
was significantly positively correlated, r (241) = .28, p 
< .001. There was no significant correlation between 
gendered racial identity centrality and binge eating, r 
(241) = -.06, p = .32. On average, the participants rated 
their experiences with gendered racism as lower (M = 
2.55, SD = 1.07). The mean scores indicated that with 
experiences with gendered racism, participants, on 
average, answered either “Once in a while” or “Some-
times” as their responses for the gendered racism items.  
Participants reported higher than average ratings for 
their gendered racial identity centrality (M = 5.05, SD 
= 1.20). Most participants rated “Slightly agree” for 
their responses to the gendered racial identity centrali-

many times were you denied a raise, a promotion, ten-
ure, a good assistant, a job, or other such things,      at 
work that you deserved because you are a Black wom-
an?” and “How many times have you been treated un-
fairly by strangers because you are a Black woman?”.
 The SSE was rated on a six -point Likert scale 
where participant's responses to the items ranged be-
tween one  (never) and six (all the time). The scores 
of each item were averaged, and higher scores indi-
cated that participants experienced more encoun-
ters with gendered racism and lower scores sug-
gested that participants had fewer experiences with 
gendered racism. For past studies, the reliability scores 
for the original SSE-Lifetime sample by Klonoff & 
Landrine (1995) scored 0.92, and the revised scale 
had a reliability score of 0.93 (Thomas et al., 2008).  
The Croncbach’s α for the current study was 0.95.
Gendered Racial Identity Centrality 
 The researchers assessed gendered racial identity 
centrality using the Multidimensional Inventory of 
Black Identity Centrality subscale (MIBI- Centrali-
ty; Sellers et al., 1997), modified to measure gendered 
racial identity centrality. The scale contained ten 
items on a seven-point Likert scale where responses 
ranged from one (strongly disagree) to seven (strong-
ly agree). Sample items were “I have a strong sense 
of belonging to Black women” and “Being a Black 
woman is an important reflection of who I am”. Av-
erage scores were taken where higher scores indicated 
greater feelings that one’s gender and race were cen-
tral to their overall identity and lower scores denot-
ed participants who felt that their gender and race 
were less central to their overall identity. Jones et al. 
(2021) reported the scores from the MIBI-Central-
ity scale and had internal consistency scores of 0.76, 
while Croncbach’s α for the current study was 0.77. 
Binge Eating Symptoms
 The Binge Eating Scale (BES; Gormally et al., 1982) 
was utilized to examine binge eating behaviors in the 
participants. The BES consists of 16 items that exam-
ine eating behaviors, such as the quantity of food con-
sumed and feelings after eating. Participants were given 
three      or four      selections and were asked to choose 
whichever best fit their eating behaviors with varying 
severities. A sample item reads, “a. I usually am able to 
stop eating when I want to. I know when “enough is 
enough,” “b. Every so often, I experience a compulsion 
to eat which I can’t seem to control,” “c. Frequently, 



24

HOLLY & DICKENS

behaviors. Biases among healthcare providers prevent 
them from accurately inquiring about, detecting, 
or understanding eating disorders in Black women 
(Goode et al., 2022; Marques et al., 2011). The lack 
of proper diagnosis, treatment, and care for this mar-
ginalized group highlights the need for an intersec-
tional approach to the examination of Black women’s 
experiences with disordered eating. Past research has 
examined how race or gender impacts Black wom-
en’s maladaptive behaviors (McCoy & Major, 2003; 
Syzmanski & Lewis, 2016). However, such factors 
were examined separately from each other rather 
than looking at the intersection of racism and sexism. 
 The purpose of the present study was to investi-
gate the relationship between gendered racism and 
binge eating behaviors in Black women, as well as to 
analyze the moderating influence that gendered ra-
cial identity centrality has on this relationship. The 
current study, along with previous research, high-
lights a need to understand the factors that impact 
Black women’s maladaptive eating behaviors to un-
derstand better the risk factors that lead them to en-
gage in binge eating (Pickett et al., 2020; Volpe et al., 
2024). Past research has examined how racism or sex-
ism separately influence the eating behaviors of Black 
women as a coping mechanism      but seldom have 
researchers analyzed how gendered racism can influ-
ence the relationship between gendered racism and 
binge eating in Black women. The researchers adopt-
ed an intersectional framework in their methodology 
to highlight the interrelated nature of Black women’s 
experiences of oppression. We examined how the in-
teraction of race and gender identities, in addition 
to the prejudice they face, can serve as either a pro-
tective or risk factor for Black women’s binge eating.
Gendered Racism and Binge Eating
 Consistent with Hypothesis 1, there was a signif-
icant positive relationship between gendered racism 
and binge eating. Such that participants who had more 
experiences with gendered racism were associated with 
higher binge eating behaviors. Intersectionality theo-
ry exemplifies the need to understand the factors that 
contribute to and influence Black women’s disordered 
eating behaviors. To understand the factors that in-
fluence how Black women respond to discriminato-
ry experiences, their multiple marginalized identities 
must be examined as they relate to and interact with 
each other. This finding is consistent with previous 

ty items. For binge eating behaviors, participants rated 
lower levels (M = 1.07, SD = .55). On average, partic-
ipants answered the items about binge eating with re-
sponses that correlated with low binge eating behaviors. 
Moderators of Binge Eating Behaviors
 The hypothesized moderated model was tested 
using moderation analysis via PROCESS macro mod-
el 1. H2 stated that the influence of gendered racism 
on binge eating behaviors for Black women would be 
moderated by gender-racial identity centrality. Before 
the analyses, variables were mean-centered to lessen 
multicollinearity (Aiken & West, 1991). Predictor vari-
ables accounted for a significant amount of variance 
in binge eating, R2 = .10, F (3, 237) = 9.05, p < .001. 
 Then, we examined whether the relationship be-
tween gendered racism and binge eating in Black wom-
en was moderated by gendered-race identity centrality 
(see Figure 1). The interaction term was significant, 
b = -.05, p < 0.05. Therefore, H2 was partially sup-
ported. Next, we conducted simple slope analyses and 
probed interactions. When gendered racial identity 
centrality was low (b = .20, p < 0.001) and medium (b 
= .14, p < 0.001), gendered racism was associated with 
higher levels of binge eating in Black women. Howev-
er, when gendered racial centrality was high, this rela-
tionship was nonsignificant (b = 07, p = .15). There-
fore, lower levels of gendered racial centrality amplify 
the influence of gendered racism on binge eating be-
haviors in Black women. H2 was partially supported.
  The researchers hypothesized that lower levels 
of gendered racial identity centrality would mod-
erate the relationship between gendered racism 
and binge eating. Their hypothesis was supported 
at low levels for gendered racial identity centrali-
ty. The researchers hypothesized that high levels 
of gendered racial identity centrality would have a 
buffering influence on the positive relationship be-
tween gendered racism and binge eating in Black 
women. Instead, the relationship was not significant. 

Discussion
 The literature has yet to examine how Black 
women’s experiences with their gendered racial iden-
tity and gendered racism influence their maladaptive 
eating, such as binge eating. The current study adds 
to the dearth of research that exists on disordered eat-
ing in Black women. Disparities exist for healthcare 
interventions on Black women’s disordered eating 



25

BINGE EATING & IDENTITY CENTRALITY IN BLACK WOMEN

the intersection of racial and gender discrimination 
influenced Black women’s binge eating as well as how 
their identity centrality related to this connection.
Gendered Racial Identity Centrality 
 Black women’s use of disordered eating has seldom 
been researched via the influence of their gendered ra-
cial identity.  Gendered racial identity centrality has 
been linked to research that suggests it can be a buffer 
or amplifier of the negative impact of discrimination 
(Jones et al., 2021; Thomas et al., 2011). Consistent 
with the hypothesis, gendered-racial identity centrality 
moderated the relationship between gendered racism 
and binge eating. While gendered-racial identity cen-
trality was a moderator, the influence was not in the 
direction that the researchers hypothesized. Only for 
participants who reported low or medium gendered-ra-
cial identity centrality, gendered racism was associated 
with higher levels of binge eating in Black women. 
 However, participants with high levels of gen-
dered racial identity centrality produced a non-signif-
icant moderating influence between gendered racism 
and binge eating. Thus, Hypothesis 2 was supported 
in the opposite direction than they hypothesized. The 
researchers speculated that higher levels of gendered 
racial identity centrality would buffer the relationship. 
It may be that lower levels of gendered racial identity 
centrality have a much more significant impact because 
it makes individuals vulnerable to more discriminato-
ry experiences. Still, this is consistent with the overar-
ching framework of the intersectionality theory. The 
researchers believed that Black women with lower gen-
dered racial centrality are more prone to the adverse ef-
fects of gendered racism, which can lead to binge eating. 
 The current findings about high gendered ra-
cial identity centrality are inconsistent with previous 
research, as the researchers found a nonsignificant 
moderating relationship between gendered racism 
and binge eating behaviors. Symanski & Lewis (2016) 
examined the moderating effect that identity central-
ity had on detachment coping and the psychological 
distress formed in response to gendered racism. They 
found that when identity centrality was high, gen-
dered racism predicted psychological distress. The 
researchers hypothesized that a higher gendered ra-
cial identity centrality would serve as a buffer against 
the positive relationship between gendered racism 
and binge eating. The literature on Black women’s 
gendered racial identity centrality found it to be a 

research, which found that higher levels of discrimi-
nation based on one’s gendered racial identity led to 
greater utilization of disordered eating behaviors, such 
as emotional eating, as a maladaptive coping response 
(Diggins et al., 2015; Hoggard et al., 2019; Volpe et al., 
2024). In alignment with the intersectionality theory 
(Crenshaw, 1989) and given the negative impacts of the 
intersections of oppression, such as gendered racism, 
Black women’s experiences with discrimination based 
on race and gender and their interactions exacerbate 
their issues with health and well-being. Since the re-
searchers focused on gendered racism, it allowed them 
to see this relationship at the intersection of racism and 
sexism and binge eating behaviors in Black women. 
 Binge eating in Black women has been associat-
ed with worsened physical health and a higher risk of 
being overweight or obese, as more than 30% of Black 
women with obesity also report binge eating (Goode et 
al., 2020; Wilson et al., 2012). Binge eating disorder has 
also been found to be comorbid with several somatic 
and psychiatric disorders, such as mood disorders and 
substance use disorders, along with obesity (Goode et 
al., 2020; Hudson et al., 2010). Thus, furthering the 
understanding of the factors, such as gendered racism, 
that contribute to Black women’s binge eating behav-
iors is imperative for adequately tackling the health 
care issues that they face. Research has been conduct-
ed to identify aspects of maladaptive eating treatment 
that can be beneficial for Black women. Such treat-
ments are based on culturally competent care that rec-
ognizes Black women as a population that has unique 
factors that influence their binge eating behaviors. 
 Past research has found that interventions con-
ducted in a group using cognitive-behavioral thera-
py can be effective. These interventions address the 
dysfunctional cognitions and maladaptive behaviors 
associated with binge eating to create an impactful 
intervention for BED in Black women (Goode et al., 
2020;2022; Q da Luz et al., 2021). Along with this, 
interventions that tackle the physical health of Black 
women have been supported by researchers to be ef-
fective interventions. These approaches educate Black 
women to be aware of their eating behaviors and in-
crease their physical activity (Goode et al., 2018;2022). 
Intersectionality theory was integral for the researchers 
of this study as it allowed them to investigate the re-
lationship between gendered racism and binge eating 
among Black women. The theory illuminated how 



26

HOLLY & DICKENS

major life events, can put older women at increased 
risk for disordered eating (Koumoutzis & Cichy, 
2020). Thus, the relationship between gendered rac-
ism and binge eating, as well as the moderating in-
fluence of identity centrality, could be higher if the 
participants of the study were older. Such research 
highlights the need to understand the factors that con-
tribute to the increase in depressive symptoms from 
middle age to older age.  Also, participants had lower 
levels of binge eating overall, so the results might dif-
fer in individuals who, on average, have higher levels 
of binge eating behaviors. For older Black women 
with higher levels of binge eating behaviors, identity 
centrality could have an even more significant mod-
erating influence. Identity centrality in older popu-
lations possibly would lessen the strength of the rela-
tionship between gendered racism and binge eating. 
 Moreover, the researchers recognize further lim-
itations of this study due to their use of a survey, which 
could lead to social desirability bias when answering 
questions about binge eating. Participants may have felt 
less comfortable being truthful about their binge eating 
behaviors due to stigma towards eating disorders and 
maladaptive eating behaviors. Stigmatization related to 
engaging in binge eating behaviors may have led partic-
ipants to report lower scores that are less representative 
of their behavior. This may lessen the significance of 
the data on the relationship between gendered racism, 
identity centrality, and binge eating in Black women.
Future Directions
 These findings are imperative for understanding 
how to make culturally relevant disordered eating 
interventions for Black women. As many healthcare 
professionals do not have the proper knowledge of 
how maladaptive eating behaviors manifest for Black 
women, they often overlook Black women who 
could benefit from disordered eating treatment and 
care (Goode et al., 2022; Marques et al., 2011). The 
current study and previous research are critical for 
equipping healthcare providers with the knowledge 
to best approach and care for their Black women pa-
tients. Providers must approach their Black women 
patients with an understanding of how disordered 
eating can manifest for them. Such an understand-
ing is necessary for providing Black women with the 
proper diagnosis, care, and treatment they need for 
their maladaptive eating behaviors. An understand-
ing of how Black women center their gendered racial 

significant moderator in the relationship between 
factors related to gendered racism and coping. Yet, 
the findings are mixed regarding whether it serves as 
a buffer (Lewis et al., 2017; Williams & Lewis, 2019). 
 Past research has found that lower levels of gen-
dered racial identity centrality are linked to higher 
usage of disengagement coping and poor mental and 
physical health outcomes, which is consistent with 
this study’s results (Williams & Lewis, 2019; Lewis et 
al., 2017). The finding that high gendered racial iden-
tity centrality did not serve as a moderator is      in-
consistent with past research that has found it to be 
associated with lower levels of distress (Sellers & Shel-
ton, 2003; Williams & Lewis, 2019). Based on the lit-
erature, there are mixed findings on the influence of 
gendered racial centrality as a buffer or harmful fac-
tor with experiences of discrimination among Black 
women (Jones et al., 2021; Symanski & Lewis, 2016).
 Also, given that the sample of participants had a 
moderate level of gendered racial centrality, such that 
being a Black woman was somewhat important to 
their overall sense of self, this might have influenced 
the effect of the relationship between gendered rac-
ism and binge eating behaviors. More research needs 
to be done on the moderating influences of identity 
centrality on Black women to understand this rela-
tionship better. Such contrasts in the study of high 
identity centrality demonstrate the need for a further 
examination of the influence that high identity cen-
trality has on Black women’s experiences with distress.  
Limitations 
 While the researchers were able to find signifi-
cant results from this study regarding Black wom-
en’s binge eating behaviors as it relates to their iden-
tity, there were some limitations. The majority of the 
participants were younger, identified as Christian, 
and with more than half having an associate’s degree 
or higher. Thus, the participants of this study may 
be less representative of the population. The age of 
the participants was relatively younger than that of 
the broader population; thus, it is less generalizable 
to the greater public. Much like Black women, old-
er populations are much less regarded in eating dis-
order research. Hence, a lack of understanding ex-
ists about the age-related factors that can influence 
the maladaptive eating behaviors of older people. 
 In the literature, researchers have found that psy-
chosocial stressors, as well as stressors associated with 



27

BINGE EATING & IDENTITY CENTRALITY IN BLACK WOMEN

group from receiving eating disorder treatment. Such 
barriers for Black women include a lack of recognition 
of their engagement in disordered eating behaviors. 
These women may not have adequate knowledge of 
disordered eating to detect their use of maladaptive 
behaviors, considering the stereotype that eating dis-
orders primarily impact White women (Good et al., 
2022; Scott et al., 2023).  As shown by past research, 
the high rates of eating disorders, such as binge eating, 
in Black women warrant a need to create approach-
es that allow them to receive proper diagnosis, care, 
and treatment for their disordered eating behaviors.

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social change for Black women, researchers and practi-
tioners must understand the barriers that impede this 



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https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684319832511



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Table 1 

Sociodemographic Characteristics of Participants

Note. n (%), M, and SD represent the number of participants, mean, and standard deviation, 
respectively. 



32

HOLLY & DICKENS

Figure. 1 This figure illustrates the relationships between low (-1 SD), medium (average), and 
high (+1 SD) levels of gendered racism and binge eating symptoms at low (-1 SD), medium (aver-
age), and high (+1 SD) levels of gendered racial identity centrality. Statistically significant values 
(p < .001) were denoted with **.

Figure 1. 

Interaction between Gendered Racism and Binge Eating Symptoms in Black Women

Questionnaires can be made available upon request.


