Psychology of Blacks: Centering Our Perspectives in the African Consciousness

by Parham; Thomas A

• ISBN13: 9780131827738
• ISBN10: 0131827731
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2010-10-07
• Publisher: Rittenhouse Book Distributors

Summary

This book highlights the limitations of traditional psychological theories and approaches when applied to African descent people. It provides information on how the African Centered Perspective is defined, as well as how it operates in the context of the African American family with regard to identity development, education, mental health, research, and managing contemporary issues. It links the context of African American life to the traditions, values and spiritual essence of their African ancestors in an attempt to acknowledge the African worldview and assist the African American community in addressing some of the challenges they will face in the 21st century. Includes a thorough annotated bibliography for further reading.African Centered Psychology in the Modern Era, The African American Family, The Struggle for Identity Congruence, Psychological Issues in Education, Contemporary Approaches to Developmental Psychology, Mental Health Issues, Praxis in African American Psychology: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations, African Centered Psychology and Issues in the 21st Century.Psychologists or counselors working with the African American population.

Author Biography

Thomas A. Parham, Ph.D. is Assistant Vice Chancellor for Counseling and Health Services, as well as an adjunct faculty member, at the University of California, Irvine.Dr. Parham is a Past President of the National Association of Black Psychologists, where he also holds the title of Distinguished Psychologist. He is a Fellow of the American Counseling Association, and a Fellow in Division 17 and 45 of the American Psychological Association. He is Past President of the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, and a member of the of the 100 Black Men of America, where he has served as Chair of the Education Committee, the architect of the "Rites of Passage" program for the Orange County 100’s "Passport to the Future" program and for the Los Angeles based "College Bound" program, and consultant on educational policy issues.

For the past thirty years, Dr. Parham has focused his research efforts in the area of psychological nigrescence and has authored many articles in the area.

His honors and awards include Research Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association's Minority Fellowship Program; receipt of the Research Award for Contributions to the Counseling Profession from the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development; the Association of Black Psychologists, Certification and Proficiency in African Centered/Black Psychology; The Minority Fellowship Program - James M. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award for long standing and distinguished contributions to the field of racial and ethnic minority psychology; the Wimberly Award—National 100 Black Men of America – June, 2008; and the Janet Helms Award - In Recognition of Mentoring & Scholarship, presented at The 27^th Winter Roundtable Conference, Teacher’s College, Columbia University, 2010.

Table of Contents

Dedication	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. x
Foreword	p. xii
Preface	p. xv
About the Authors	p. xix
Building for Eternity	p. 1
African-Centered Psychology in the Modern Era	p. 14
Definitions	p. 14
Historical Themes in Psychological Research	p. 17
Inferiority Models	p. 18
Deficit-Deficiency Model	p. 19
Multicultural Model	p. 20
Black Behavioral Norms	p. 21
The African Worldview	p. 23
Persistence of the African-Centered Worldview	p. 25
African-Centered Psychology Comes of Age	p. 26
The Development of Black Psychology-The Modern Era	p. 30
Chronology of the Presidents of the Association of Black Psychologists	p. 33
The Spiritual Core of African-Centered Psychology	p. 35
Missing Elements	p. 35
The Core of Spirituality	p. 41
The Assumptions of Spirituality	p. 44
The Manifestation of Spiritual Energy	p. 45
Closing	p. 47
Spiritual Illness	p. 48
The African-American Family	p. 50
The Herskovits-Frazier Debate	p. 52
Snap Shots vs. Videotapes	p. 59
The Indictment and Response to Black Family Life: White vs. Black Portrayals	p. 59
Contemporary Demographic Profiles	p. 61
Challenges Confronting Today's Families of African Descent	p. 62
Poverty of Spirit	p. 62
Poverty of Affirmation	p. 63
Poverty of Opportunity	p. 63
Poverty of Hope and Optimism	p. 63
Endnotes	p. 68
Coping With Racism and Oppression: Social Disparities That Impact Black Lives	p. 69
Remembering a Racist Past	p. 69
W. E. B. DU Bois and the Souls of Black Folk: Racism and Oppression-Then and Now	p. 71
The Souls of Black Folk: Then-Racism and Oppression at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century	p. 72
The Atlanta Compromise and the Rise of Booker T Washington	p. 72
The Souls of Black Folk: Now-Racism and Oppression at the Dawn of the Twenty-First Century	p. 74
Saltwater Fish in a Fresh Water World: Racism and Acculturation-Reframing the Discourse	p. 75
A Contemporary Look at Oppression	p. 76
African-American Loyalty to a Nation That Gives Less Than Equal Return on Investment	p. 78
The Challenges of Micro- and Macro-Aggressions	p. 81
Closing Thoughts	p. 84
The Struggle For Identity Congruence in African Americans	p. 85
Social Pathology of American Life	p. 92
Balancing Two Competing Worldviews	p. 94
The Psychology of Nigrescence	p. 96
Contemporary Views	p. 98
Summary	p. 102
The Psychology of African-Centered Education	p. 104
No Child Left Behind	p. 105
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)	p. 107
Testing vs. Teaching	p. 109
Educational Innovations from the Obama Administration	p. 110
The Challenges of Education Beyond 2010	p. 111
Academic Profile Cautions	p. 111
Correlates of Achievement	p. 112
Academic Achievement Motivation	p. 112
Self-Efficacy	p. 113
Poverty	p. 113
Self-Concept	p. 114
Value Orientation as a Correlate	p. 117
Teacher Expectations as a Correlate	p. 119
Parent Education Attainment	p. 121
Family Background as a Correlate	p. 121
Educational Challenges for the New Millennium	p. 122
Promising Practices	p. 127
An African-Centered Ideology	p. 128
The Reciprocal Nature of Education and Health Care	p. 130
Summary	p. 131
Mental Health Issues Among African-American People	p. 138
Mental Health or Mental Illness: A Question of Perspective	p. 139
Therapeutic Prognosis: Contradictory Findings	p. 144
Help-Seeking Behaviors in African Americans	p. 152
Recommendations for Service Delivery	p. 154
The Influence of Identity States on the Therapeutic Relationship	p. 159
Training Service Providers	p. 160
African-American Psychology Proposed Practice Competencies (Parham, 2005)	p. 162
Awareness	p. 162
Knowledge	p. 162
Skills	p. 163
Applications of an African-Centered Psychology: The Juvenile Offender	p. 164
Introduction	p. 165
African Americans and the Criminal Justice System: Policing, Courts, and Corrections	p. 165
Historical Origins of African-American Males and the Criminal Justice System	p. 167
The Relationships Between Family Dynamics, Delinquency, and Violence	p. 171
The Relationship Between Identity Development Delinquency, and Violence	p. 175
The Relationship Between Academic Achievement, Delinquency, and Violence	p. 176
Implementation and Practical Strategies	p. 177
Home Environment	p. 177
School Environment	p. 177
Community Environment	p. 178
Practical Strategies	p. 178
Education- and Training-Related Strategies	p. 178
Prevention and Intervention Program Strategies	p. 179
Consultation and Training Strategies	p. 180
Research Strategies	p. 181
Summary	p. 181
African-Centered Psychology: A Look Beyond 2010 to 2020	p. 182
The Value of Praxis in African-American Psychology	p. 182
Emerging Perspectives in Pursuit of a Consensus	p. 183
African Psychological Literature	p. 184
Aláánú: African-Centered Psychology and Spirituality-Toward an Inclusive Epistemology	p. 185
Aspirations of Relevance	p. 187
Avoid Becoming Secondary Scholars	p. 189
Social Engineering	p. 189
Pharmacotherapy	p. 191
Personal Congruence	p. 193
African-American Psychology: Evolution of An Idea-A Selected Annotated Bibliography	p. 194
A Selected Annotated Bibliography	p. 195
African Ontological Narratives (History)	p. 195
Africanisms and Diasporan African World	p. 196
The History and Evolution af African (Black) Psychology	p. 197
African-American Psychology: General Studies	p. 199
Personality and Identity Development	p. 199
Assessment and Appraisal	p. 200
African-Centered Education	p. 201
Counseling/Clinical Therapeutic Interventions	p. 202
African-American Family	p. 202
Culture, Worldview, and Philosophy	p. 203
African Spiritual Traditions	p. 204
General Readings	p. 205
Afterword	p. 207
References	p. 209
Index	p. 230
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