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Being a mental health clinician while Black in America is a serious situation. In this reflection, 103 Black clinicians and I, the author, discuss their needs as clinicians of color in these unprecedented times. Given the difficult task to stay professionally present for clients while simultaneously experiencing the same racial trauma that their clients experience, these clinicians discuss the need for a safe space to collectively heal one another as they practice while Black. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult men of different ethnic backgrounds who experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA) may vary in their reports of the psychological and behavioural impact of CSA on their lives. Empirical studies rarely examine the impact of race/ethnicity or cultural context on the psychological and behavioural struggles of adult male CSA survivors. This study utilised qualitative content analysis to examine the reported CSA-related psychological and behavioural challenges of 150 US men, with equal numbers of Blacks, Latinos and non-Latino Whites. Interview data revealed some ethnic differences: Black men more frequently denied having present day adverse effects than other groups. However, Black men who did report negative consequences of CSA discussed difficulties with substance use and hyper-sexualised behaviour more often than other ethnicities. Latino men reported anger, anxiety, hyper-vigilance, flashbacks and communication problems more often than the other two groups. Black and Latino men also discussed guilt/shame issues and sexual identity concerns more often than Whites did. In contrast, White men more frequently discussed issues related to low self-esteem, loneliness and isolation. These findings suggest that ethnically diverse men may respond differently to CSA experiences and that considerations need to be taken into account when providing healthcare to men with CSA histories.

Depression is a major, preventable problem in the United States, yet relatively few individuals seek care in traditional mental health settings. Instead, many choose to confide in friends, family, or clergy. Thus, it is important to discover how clergy perceive the definition of and etiology of depression. The author conducted a survey with 204 Protestant pastors in California. Multinomial logistic regression revealed a statistically significant difference in how depression is perceived based on race. Caucasian American pastors more readily agreed with the statement that depression was a biological mood disorder, while African American pastors more readily agreed that depression was a moment of weakness when dealing with trials and tribulations. Also, mainline Protestants more frequently disagreed with statements about spiritual causes of depression than Pentecostals and non-denominational pastors. The findings suggest that racial and religious affiliational influences shape how pastors view, and ultimately intervene, in the area of depression.

Students enter college with pre-formed beliefs about the causes of mental health issues, from spiritual explanations (e.g., demonic possession) to biological explanations (e.g., genetics). However, they rarely have thought through how their faith backgrounds in!uence their beliefs about mental health. MSW students in their clinical concentration year engaged in a class-based assignment in which they explored the question, "Where are you on the spectrum of belief regarding the cause of mental illness?" A qualitative content analysis was completed on 69 student papers collected over "ve years. Results showed how each student's religious childhood experience shaped his or her view about mental illness causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research consistently shows that African American men with major depressive disorder are under-diagnosed. One reason for under-diagnosis is that various social determinants influence depressive symptom presentation. This study draws from a random sample of 218 California licensed clinical social workers and licensed marriage and family therapists who were presented with experimentally designed clinical videos online and asked to make diagnostic judgments. Clinicians presented with videos of a male client with depressive symptoms influenced by social determinants were less accurate in their diagnoses than clinicians presented with videos of a depressed male client expressing classic depressive symptoms. A qualitative analysis of clinicians' statements about their diagnoses revealed that they often saw culturally influenced depression symptoms as related to a behavioral disorder or a personality disorder rather than a mood disorder. Based on these results, best practice recommendations are presented for clinicians who assess African American men with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background US Department of Health and Human Services reported that the lack of English language proficiency and the shortage of providers who possessed appropriate language skills were identified as major barriers to mental health service use for approximately half of the population of Asians and Pacific Islanders. The aim of this study was to examine the predictors of lifetime mental health service use in relation to English language proficiency among Asian Americans. Methods Data from 2095 Asian participants from the National Latino and Asian American Study were analyzed using logistic regression. Results Respondents with better English language proficiency and with a mental health diagnosis were more inclined to use mental health services. Participants who were born in the USA, who were widowed, separated or divorced, who sought comfort from religion, who reported worse physical and mental health self-ratings were more likely to use mental health services. The lack of health insurance coverage was not a significant predictor. Conclusions The public health implications for behavioral health include the need to educate health-care providers working with Asian Americans regarding the benefits derived from seeking services and making interpreter services available in a culturally sensitive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]