MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS: A CULTURAL/RACIAL PERSPECTIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7322/jhgd.39479Keywords:
African American, Mental health, Services.Abstract
African Americans have made consistent progress toward first class citizenship since l 965. Nonetheless, mental health services for this population have been biased, incomplete,and deficient because similarities to Euro-Americans have been emphasized while differences were largely ignored. This article addresses some differences including cultural/racial identity
and the cultural self that affect assessment, psychiatric diagnoses, and psychotherapy or other interventions. An assessment-intervention model illustrates how cultural information can inform service delivery to African Americans. This model exemplifies one application of cultural psychology that can contribute to a change in professional practice, training, and research for a multicultural society. Suggested guidelines emerging from this model point toward areas to
be emphasized in service delivery and research.
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