In the past few decades, psychology academia, research, and practice have expanded to include multiple diverse identities—across areas such as gender, race, sexuality, and more.
Why Does Representation Matter in Psychology?
At its core, psychology aims to understand human behavior. Without addressing the impact and importance of race and diversity, it can be argued that psychology is incomplete.
According to psychologist Robert M. Sellers, “Psychological science must capture the full breadth of human experiences before it can truly say that it understands a particular psychological construct or phenomenon. If we are really trying to develop laws of human behavior, it’s extremely important that those laws … be based on data that captures that variability.”
For this reason, it’s crucial to include issues of diversity in psychological research and practice. Different identities in race and culture shape individuals’ worldviews, and in turn, their psychology.
It’s also beneficial for individuals within the field of psychology to be representative of the population as a whole. A diverse set of psychologists, counselors, and psychiatrists opens the door for a diverse set of clients who had otherwise not seen counseling as an option.
Request infoFor example, the APA reported that half of Asian Americans do not get treatment for mental health issues due to a language barrier. As it stands, a little over 2% of doctorate psychologists are Asian.
The same barriers exist for Black people in U.S. struggling with mental illness. According to the APA, only 2% of the total number of psychologists in America are Black. This disparity is happening alongside immense stigma within the Black community to seek mental health treatment. In addition, minority patients often seek clinicians of a similar racial background. In these cases, patients see more effective outcomes in their treatments.
As it stands, there is not a truly representative set of psychologists in the workforce. Therefore, it’s essential for existing psychologists to be trained in cultural competence and minority mental health issues. When psychologists understand the unique issues and history faced by people of color, they can provide better treatment and overall health outcomes.
“It is not considered essential that the clinician and client share the same ethnic background. Nor is it essential that a clinician has experienced a history of racial trauma to provide support for a client with symptoms of post-traumatic stress,” Clive Kennedy, Ph.D., department faculty at the Los Angeles Campus, recently told INSIGHT magazine. “Yet if a clinician has not learned about Jim Crow legislation or its impact across the South, the Zoot Suit Riots, or race massacres in Tulsa, Oklahoma, or Atlanta, perhaps that clinician is not the best therapist to assess for a history of racial trauma when evaluating a suicidal African American adolescent.”
The History of Diversity in Psychology
The history of psychology is rooted mainly in the ideas of white men (think Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, and more). Early concepts in psychology surrounded well-known subjects like nature vs. nurture, free will, and structuralism.
While still foundational to psychology today, these early schools of thought have been expanded upon and studied at length—opening the doors for other areas of study in the field.
As psychological concepts expanded, so did the diversity of identities in the field. Gradually, more and more women entered (and began to lead) the field of psychology, bringing with them new research that diversified the practice.
However, it wasn’t until the introduction of Social-Cultural Psychology in the 1930s that cultural elements—and differences—made their way into behavioral research. This discipline studies how social and cultural situations influence attitudes, thinking, and behavior.
Today, both the principles of psychology and those who practice psychology have grown exceedingly more diverse.
How Diverse is the Field of Psychology?
As of 2015, 86% of psychologists in the United States were white. 5% of U.S. psychologists were Asian, another 5% were Hispanic, and only 4% of psychologists were Black.
When compared to the total racial breakdown in the U.S. (62% white to 38% non-white), the disparity in the psychology field becomes clear. Early data shows the field may be becoming more diverse, with 34% of early career psychologists in 2015 identifying as racial minorities.
Psychology Concentrations that Address Minority Issues
Beyond the racial makeup of individuals practicing psychology, it is also crucial to pursue and research diverse disciplines within the field.
The number of concentrated areas of study dedicated to minority issues within psychology has grown in the past decade. Some diverse concentrations within psychology include:
- Latino mental health
- Child and adolescent health
- LGBTQ affirmative psychology
With more representation in the field, as well as programs and specializations dedicated to serving minority groups, the future is bright for a more inclusive profession that can provide the best care to all populations.
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Read Dr. Kennedy’s full story here.