Counseling Psychologists as Change Agents: Improving How We Care for Black Americans Facing Drug Abuse and Health Disparities
Led by principal investigator, Dr. Danelle Stevens-Watkins and qualitative expert, Dr. Candice Hargons, and their students and post-doctoral trainees in the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology at the University of Kentucky, one counseling psychology research lab is using its roots in clinical encounters to gather important information for tailoring culturally adaptive interventions. Through interviews, they are taking a deeper look at drug abuse and health disparities within the context of variables that affect the day-to-day lives of Black Americans. These can include race-related stress, active coping, and ethnic identity, in addition to other structural, social, and cultural factors that influence drug abuse and health disparities among Black Americans. A recent racial awakening in America has put more focus on health disparity research Yet, less than two percent of National Institutes of Health-funded senior investigators are Black and there has been a persistent funding gap for Black scientists applying for research project grants. An exception is Stevens-Watkins’ lab in the University of Kentucky College of Education Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology. A common theme across the studies conducted by the Stevens-Watkins team is that Black people often feel like treatment and other health resources are not made for them. The team hopes that its findings on culturally relevant factors that impact substance use and health can inform the development of culturally tailored resources. Stevens-Watkins’ research topics focusing on health disparities among Black Americans have covered nonmedical prescription opioid use, illicit drug use and mental health, criminality, HIV risks among men and women, breastfeeding, and maternal morbidity. Insight Into Diversity magazine recently featured how Stevens-Watkins’ current team of counseling psychology students and faculty is developing information to lead to change. Read more at https://www.insightintodiversity.com/university-of-kentucky-research-team-uniquely-poised-to-reach-black-american-communities-fight-health-disparities/. Posted on: 02/02/2022
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How can counseling psychologists become engaged in drug abuse and health disparity research? How can professionals in the field better serve the unique needs of hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations?