Despite negative perceptions of therapy, Black Americans are seeking therapy. I interviewed 8 Black clients about their experience of MFT. I used the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (MIBI; Sellers, Rowley, Chavous, Shelton, & Smith, 1997) to assess their racial identity. Most participants thought it was strange for Blacks to seek therapy. Yet, these participants found the strength to seek therapy to protect their family and individual well-being. Participants found support from family, friends, and/or the church/religious beliefs. All attended church but few sought their pastor for therapeutic support. The participants who initially preferred a Black therapist also strongly viewed race as central to their self-identity. However, participants expressed greater concern for therapist competence, skills, and warmth than for therapist race. Yet, many discussed the benefits of having a Black therapist, which were greater comfort, ease, and openness for Black clients in therapy, as well as greater cultural familiarity for Black therapists. All of the participants reported satisfaction with their therapist and generally reported a positive experience. I also measured the experience of the first and third therapy sessions for Black and White clients, using the Session Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ; Stiles, 2000). Black clients reported significantly less depth in the first session than White clients, suggesting a unique experience of therapy for Black clients. Also, Black clients that remained in therapy reported less smoothness in the first session than those who terminated. There were no significant findings for the third session. Research and treatment implications from these findings are discussed. / Master of Science

Thesis (DPhil (Psychology))—University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / The question of how to address diversity in the professional training of clinical psychologists is of concern in South Africa and elsewhere. This concern is particularly salient in contemporary South Africa, where much of the sociopolitical discourse centres on issues of race, transformation, relevance and redress. This research is in line with current debates, and set out to explore the self articulated racial identities as well as the impact of those identities on the work of trainees in the second year of their clinical psychology masters degree, at three universities in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Trainees’ perceptions of the role of the universities in facilitating the working through of challenges identified in trainees’ racial identities and in facilitating multiracial competencies, were also explored in this study. Individual interviews were conducted with nineteen trainee psychologists. A minimally structured questionnaire was used in this qualitative inquiry. The theoretical framework underpinning the methodology used in this thesis endeavour, with a critical lens as background, is primarily supported by the “interpretive” or “hermeneutic” approach to psychological theory. Critical theory offered further support to understanding some of the complex issues in working with racialised discourses. Whilst all trainees identified themselves in racial terms, race continues to be a complex and, for many, a painful construct. For many, the family has been the primary source of racial socialisation, largely premised on essentialist, stereotypical discourse. With regard to the impact of their racial identity on their work, many indicate that their race significantly impacted on this. They reported a particular concern with working in cross-racial dyads. Racial difference was sometimes reported to enhance the clinical process, but was far more often experienced as a difficulty. The trainees were unanimous that the universities at which they had studied had fallen far short of what they would have wished in terms of facilitating multiracial competencies. The findings suggest that whilst legislation has changed the political profile of South Africa, the process of transformation within the psychological sites studied, is cause for concern. The dissatisfaction with the training provided, for many trainees centres around issues of relevance to the South African context. Despite efforts by some universities to diversify the racial profile of trainees, in the attempt to address the needs of people of colour, trainees believe efforts to be insufficient. While this study did not collect data, that could corroborate or question the opinions of trainees, results clearly suggest that trainee psychologists do not believe universities are currently doing enough. The implications of the trainees’ views are discussed and implications considered for trainees, trainers, the users of psychological services, and for the role of psychology as a discipline in civil society.

Since there are few studies which address the relationships between racial/ethnic identity and acculturation in the African-American community, the purpose of this study was threefold: 1) explore the relationship between racial identity and African-American acculturation; 2) examine racial and ethnic identity associations; and 3) observe the connections between these cultural constructs and psychological well-being. One hundred ninety-four African-American undergraduates from a predominantly White institution and two historically Black colleges completed measures of these constructs, self-esteem, and depression. The findings indicate a relationship between racial identity and acculturation for three of the four Cross (1971) stages (encounter, immersion-emersion, and internalization). Relinquishing the White frame of reference and achieving inner security with their Blackness coincides with immersion in the eight facets comprising African-American culture. Individuals who do not identify with their race (pre-encounter) less often affiliated with their ethnic group. Conversely, achieving racial identity (internalization) was associated with ethnic identity attachment. Finally, the study's findings suggest that identity development may affect how individuals perceive themselves and feel emotionally, which may depend on identity achievement. Pre-encounter stage scores were associated with reports of higher depression and lower self-esteem; whereas, higher internalization individuals reported higher self-esteem. As for ethnic identity, those who have explored options and made commitments to their ethnic group reported fewer symptoms of depression and higher self-esteem. The converse was also true. Community acceptance was predicted to mediate the relationship between acculturation and psychological well-being. Although this was unfounded, the data indicate that traditional individuals living in predominantly White neighborhoods reported more depressive symptoms than did dominant society acculturated individuals living there. Interesting demographic findings and future research directions are provided.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Karen S. Myers-Bowman / Rudabeh Nazarinia-Roy / Racial identity of mixed race individuals is important to understand because of the growing proportion of the population with parents from different racial groups. Having more than one racial heritage has a direct impact on how these children are seen by others as well as how they understand and encounter the world around them. Parents socialize their children in matters of race and discrimination that can impact their racial identity development, which is a component of their overall identity development. The aim of this study was explore how multiracial children are socialized and the impact of that socialization on racial identity formation from a heuristic perspective. Heuristic inquiry is a facet of phenomenology that seeks to understand the researcher’s experience of the phenomenon; therefore, I provided data on my experiences with raising a mixed-race child in a monoracial family. Two other families experiencing the same phenomenon were also interviewed. Themes related to racial profiling, parental perception of the mixed race child’s personality, skin tone, level of respect, and parenting were identified through the five-step analysis process recommended by Moustakas for heuristic inquiry, including immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, and creative synthesis. This study highlights relevant aspects in the lives of mixed-race children, how that impacts the way society views mixed-race individuals, and how those individuals encounter the world around them.

Este estudo versa sobre os negros das camadas médias paulistanas. Analisa a identidade de classe a partir da autoclassificação e do modo como o conceito de classes sociais é construído pelos interlocutores. A intenção é instituir uma analogia com as categorias elaboradas pelos cientistas sociais. Examina o estilo de vida, utilizando como referência o consumo material e simbólico. Desta forma, busca a especificidade do grupo em relação a gostos e preferências. Problematiza a questão da identidade racial a começar pela auto-identificação quanto à raça e classe, além de analisar quais são os fatores utilizados como referência para a construção da idéia de pertencimento étnico. Investiga as representações sociais dos negros de classe média, isto é, busca compreender como estes percebem a sociedade, a imagem que fazem de si mesmos e como julgam ser avaliados pela sociedade global. / This study is about São Paulos black middle class population. It seeks to analyse class identity from the subjects point of view: focusing, in the one hand, on the way in which the subjects classify themselves and, on the other, on how the class concept is formulated by them, drawing an analogy between this concept and those conceived by social scientists. In order to realise this aim, this study examines the blacks lifestyle, using their material and symbolic consumption as a reference. Along with this analysis, the study also questions the racial identity, as experimented by the subjects, considering both the subjects racial and social self classification and the factors used as a reference to the idea of being part of an ethnic group. This study investigates the black middle class social representation, that is to say, it seeks to understand how this population perceive their society, what is the image the blacks have of themselves and, according to their opinion, which is the opinion the encompassing society have upon them.

Submitted by Eunice Novais (enovais@uepg.br) on 2017-09-04T23:32:13Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Marivete Souta.pdf: 5632362 bytes, checksum: 5cdd5b785f8ab516106802095bf20e9e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-04T23:32:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Marivete Souta.pdf: 5632362 bytes, checksum: 5cdd5b785f8ab516106802095bf20e9e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-29 / Esta pesquisa se situa na área dos estudos da Linguagem e investigou como as(os) alunas(os) negras(os) e brancas(os) de um colégio da rede pública estadual do Paraná expressam suas identidades étnico-raciais por meio da produção de relatos autobiográficos. Para tanto, foram elencados os seguintes objetivos: verificar se/quais conflitos de identidade racial aparecem nas produções de alunas(os) negras(os) e brancas(os); identificar o papel da escola e outras instituições e/ou meios na (re)construção da(s) identidade(s) raciais e analisar como uma SD com o gênero relato autobiográfico, com a perspectiva do letramento racial crítico e da educação antirracista pode contribuir para a construção da identidade étnico-racial. Os conceitos de raça na perspectiva sociológica foram retomados, trazendo a concepção de raça como uma construção histórica e cultural, a partir de autores como Gomes (2005, 2012); Guimarães (1999, 2011) e Munanga (1994, 1999, 2005, 2005) dessa área. Discuti branqueamento, branquidade e branquitude, embasada em autores da área da Psicologia como: Bento (2014); Piza (2005, 2014); Cardoso (2008; 2010; 2011; 2014) da área de Ciências Sociais. A concepção de identidade foi baseada em autores como: Hall (2011) e Moita Lopes(2002). Focalizei a construção da identidade de adolescentes e jovens, pois são os sujeitos desta pesquisa. A opção metodológica foi a pesquisa-intervenção, com a perspectiva do letramento racial crítico e a educação antirracista, com aplicação de uma SD, e o relato autobiográfico, que foi instrumento de geração de dados, assim como o diário de bordo. Da área de Linguagens, referenciei-me em autores como: Ferreira (2006, 2009, 2014, 2015) e Moita Lopes (1992, 2002, 2006). As (os) alunas (os) expressaram suas identidades étnico-raciais por emio dos relatos, partindo de recordações de como se deram conta de que eram negras (os) brancas (os). À medida que contaram se tinham pensado alguma vez sobre sua cor de pele, foram trazendo lembranças que as (os) fizeram ter a percepção de sua raça. Pela análise dos dados, foi possível observar alguns conflitos de identidade como o branqueamento e o discurso da hegemonia racial, contradizendo-se com afirmações de que a cor da pele influencia em como foram/são tratados. O papel da escola entre instituições e /ou meios que contribuíram para a construção das identidades foi reafirmada, reiterando a importância da educação para as relações étnico-raciais. Pudemos concluir com esta pesquisa que através de um trabalho na perspectiva do letramento racial crítico e da educação antirracista é possível ressignificar a branquitude, contribuindo assim para a formação de cidadãos críticos que possam construir um mundo menos excludente. / It´s a study of language research and aims to investigate how black and white students of a public school of the state of Paraná express their ethical-racial identities throughout autobiographical reports. In order to achieve this research it was established the following objectives: verify if such ethical-racial conflicts are put in spotlight in their productions; identify the school role and other institutions or means of construction of racial identities and analyze how a following teaching with the gender autobiographic reports with the perspective of the racial critical literacy and anti-racist education can contribute for building up ethical racial identity. The concepts of race in the sociological perspective are resumed and they bring the conception of race as a historical and cultural construction. The scaffolding of this research is based on authors as Gomes (2005, 2012), Guimarães (1999,2001) and Munanga (1994, 1999, 2005, 2005). It is discussed whitening and whiteness based on authors of the area of psychology as Bento (2014), Piza (2005, 2014) and Cardoso (2008, 2010, 2011, 2014) from Social Science area. The conception of identity is based on authors as Hall (2011) and Moita Lopes (2002). The area of languages is referenced by authors as Ferreira (2006, 2009, 2014, 2015) and Moita Lopes (1992, 2002, 2006). The students expressed their ethical-racial identities through reports which they picked up from recordings of how they became aware of their tone of skin. As far as they told if they had thought about their skin color they brought their memories about the perception of their ethnicity or race. Through the analyzed data it was possible to observe some conflicts of identity as whitening and the discourse of racial hegemony contradicting some affirmations that their skin color has influenced as they are/were treated. The school role among institutions and or means that have contributed for building up their identities were reaffirmed, emphasizing the importance of education for ethical racial relationships. We concluded through this research that working in the perspective of racial critical literacy and anti-racist education it is possible to resignify the whiteness as well as contribute to the formation of critical citizens who are able to build a less excluding world.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / A presente dissertaÃÃo derivou da pesquisa âCultura LÃdica e ProduÃÃo de Identidades nas PrÃticas Educativas da InfÃnciaâ, da qual integrei a equipe de pesquisa, e tem por objetivo refletir sobre o papel das prÃticas lÃdicas na elaboraÃÃo dos referenciais identitÃrios Ãtnico-raciais em crianÃas da EducaÃÃo Infantil. Os Estudos Culturais, a teoria da complexidade, a abordagem antropolÃgica e sÃcio-histÃrica do jogo foram as referÃncias teÃricas a partir das quais foi configurada e analisada a problemÃtica em questÃo. A metodologia adotada aliou uma abordagem de cunho etnogrÃfico com procedimentos de intervenÃÃo com os quais procurou favorecer as condiÃÃes de expressÃo e elaboraÃÃo de sentidos que os sujeitos atribuÃam Ãs situaÃÃes vivenciadas. Tais interaÃÃes, protagonizadas por alunos de uma classe de jardim II de uma escola pÃblica municipal, foram registradas em vÃdeo e fotos, bem como em diÃrio de campo. As expressÃes a partir das atividades de contaÃÃo de histÃrias, teatro de fantoches e construÃÃo de histÃrias a partir de imagens demonstraram a constituiÃÃo de um referencial negativo relacionado Ãs personagens negras, apesar da cuidadosa seleÃÃo do material, escolhidos em papÃis afirmativos e valorizados positivamente. O fenÃtipo como fator determinante na exclusÃo, assim como o silenciamento da crianÃa negra foram evidenciados na dinÃmica de relaÃÃes do grupo em contraste com o protagonismo nas atividades, visibilidade e papel de porta voz do grupo observados nos comportamentos das crianÃas brancas. NÃo obstante duas crianÃas negras atuaram de forma positiva e auto-afirmada em papÃis de lideranÃa e resistÃncia à exclusÃo a despeito dos referenciais negativos que as circundam. As atividades lÃdicas de carÃter livre mostraram-se mais favorÃveis aos processos de reelaboraÃÃo de sentidos do que aquelas de carÃter dirigido. A elaboraÃÃo dos referenciais identitÃrios Ãtnico-raciais ocorreu e pode ser percebida na tomada de atitudes e na flexibilizaÃÃo de papÃis na dinÃmica de relaÃÃes do grupo, oportunizada, principalmente, pela reversibilidade de papÃis, coerÃncia ao objetivo interno à atividade, e a flexibilidade de sentidos; especificidades do contexto lÃdico. / This work derived from the research "Playful Culture and Production of Practical Identities in the Educative ones of Infancy", of which I integrated the research team, and has for objective to reflect on the paper of practical the playful ones in the elaboration of ethnic-racial the identification parameters in children of the Infantile Education.The Cultural Studies, the theory of the complexity, the anthropologic and partner-historical boarding of the game had been the theoretical references from which were configured and analyzed the problematic one in question. The adopted methodology united a boarding of ethnographyc matrix with intervention procedures with which it looked for to favor the conditions of expression and elaboration of felt that the citizens they attributed to the lived deeply situations. Such interactions, carried out for pupils of a classroom of garden II of a municipal public school, had been registered in video and photos, as well as in daily of field. The expressions from the activities of narration of histories, theater of puppets and construction of histories from images had demonstrated the constitution of a negative parameter related to the black personages, despite the careful election of the material, chosen in affirmative and valued papers positively. Appearance as determinative factor in the exclusion, as well as the become speechless of the black child had been evidenced in the dynamics of relations of the group in contrast with protagonism in the activities, visibility and paper of door observed voice of the group in the behaviors of the white children. Nevertheless two black children had acted of form positive and auto-affirmed in papers of leadership and resistance to the exclusion the spite of the negative parameters that surround them. The playful activities of free character had revealed more favorable to the felt processes of rework of of that those of directed character. The elaboration of ethnic-racial the identification parameters occurred and can be perceived in the taking of attitudes and the alternation of papers in the dynamics of relations of the group, made possible, mainly, for the reversibility of papers, coherence to the internal objective to the activity, and the flexibility of directions; peculiarities of the playful context.

Recent research has uncovered a new phenomenon in some distressed areas, black gentrification. Black gentrification follows the same pattern as mainstream gentrification with one notable exception: In black gentrifying neighborhoods both the poor and working class residents who resided in the neighborhood prior to its “gentrification” and the new residents of greater economic means are black. An additional hallmark of black gentrification that distinguishes it from traditional gentrification is that black gentrifiers in black gentrifying neighborhoods often feel a responsibility or obligation to their lower income black neighbors. Prior to the economic downturn in the United States, some in-town Atlanta neighborhoods were undergoing black gentrification. Amidst the current mortgage foreclosure epidemic facing the U.S., distressed urban areas like the ones under study, which began to gentrify in the last ten to twenty years, can easily fall prey to mortgage fraud and/or further decline. Sustained revitalization efforts require that the neighborhoods maintain a critical density level; therefore, neighborhoods cannot afford to lose more citizens. My dissertation focuses on two historic, black gentrifying in-town Atlanta neighborhoods: the Old Fourth Ward and the West End. The Old Fourth Ward is the location of the birth home of one of Atlanta’s most celebrated sons, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The West End, once a center of black consciousness in the city, now boasts one of the highest mortgage fraud rates in the nation. Revitalization efforts in both communities are in jeopardy. This dissertation explores ways to strengthen social and economic cohesion in these gentrifying black communities. Specifically, I argue that attachment to the neighborhood space (something I term “place affinity”) has the potential to obviate social tensions in gentrifying black communities and bind residents to each other and the social space they all occupy.

The purpose of the current study is to revise the wording of the items in the Strong Black Woman (SBW) attitudes scale and investigate the psychometric properties of this revised scale (renamed the SBW Cultural Construct Scale, SBWCCS). Another goal is to determine if the scale predicts racial identity, stress, and social support. The sample consisted of 152 women of African descent, who were recruited from a community based organization. An exploratory factor analysis on the SBWCCS scale suggested a 3-factor model consisting of (1) caretaking, (2) affect regulation, and (3) self-reliance. These factors parallel those found in the original scale (Thompson, 2003). The internal consistency was adequate for the overall scale and the caretaking subscale, but somewhat low for affect-regulation and self-reliance. The SBWCCS scale predicted centrality of racial identity and stress (measured as perceived stress and number of stressful events). Specifically, women who reported higher levels on the SBWCCS also reported higher levels of centrality and stress. In addition, higher levels on the caretaking subscale predicted lower reciprocity of social support. Other aspects of racial identity (public and private regard) and social support (received and satisfaction) were not predicted by SBWCCS. Methodological limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

The present study was designed to investigate the social construction of racial and ethnic identities and categories among second-generation Canadian youth who identify as, or can be physically identified as Black. A culturally diverse sample of 34 participants aged 13 – 19 years was recruited from communities in the General Toronto Area to participate in six discussion groups. Discourse analysis was utilized to demonstrate the fluidity and negotiability of racial and ethnic identity, and the role of the immediate and wider social contexts in the constructions of these identities and the content of their associated social categories. Results are discussed with regards to the implications of the reliance on mainstream social-cognitive approaches that do not adequately address the social construction of these phenomena.