ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0575-9844
Language
English (en)
Date of Award
8-15-2026
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Chair and Committee
Tamara Otey
Committee Members
Molly Altman, Jessica Backman-Levy, Sarah Farabi, Shannon Lenze, Candice Woolfolk
Abstract
Black women in the United States experience maternal mortality at more than three times the rate of white women, a disparity driven by chronic stress rooted in structural racism rather than individual behavior or biology. Accessible, culturally responsive tools for managing stress during pregnancy remain scarce. This mixed-methods pilot feasibility study examined Perinatal Havening, a self-administered psychosensory technique, as a stress management intervention for pregnant Black women. Guided by Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, the study addressed three questions: how Black women experience acute and chronic stress during pregnancy, the acceptability and preliminary influence of Perinatal Havening on stress appraisal and coping, and the feasibility of recruitment and retention. There were challenges with recruitment; the enrolled sample fell well below the planned 30, while retention was strong with seven of eight participants completing the study. Participants were enrolled from 43 prospective respondents and assigned to a Perinatal Havening group or a breathing-techniques comparison group, with one participant lost to follow-up. Perceived stress was measured descriptively using the PSS-10, and participants' lived experiences were explored through semi-structured interviews analyzed with a descriptive phenomenological and thematic approach. Qualitative analysis characterized how participants experienced and managed stress, including financial instability as a dominant stressor, somatic manifestations of stress, trauma and its intergenerational transmission, obstetric and medical racism across the care continuum, and racial hypervigilance, alongside protective factors such as racially concordant care and reliance on chosen family and informal community. Participants described Perinatal Havening as supporting stress regulation rather than stress reduction, adapted the technique to real-world conditions, and identified barriers to its use. A cross-cutting theme captured participants naming the same prenatal stress-education gap the study was designed to address. Findings document recruitment and retention outcomes and participant-reported acceptability, informing the design of future efficacy trials
DOI
https://doi.org/10.48765/6bxn-ct71
Recommended Citation
Ferrell Young, Brittany L., "“Something Else to Focus On”: Perinatal Havening and Stress Coping in Pregnant Black Women" (2026). WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs. 58.
https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/all_etd/58
Included in
Mental and Social Health Commons, Obstetrics and Gynecology Commons, Psychiatry and Psychology Commons
