Young African American Men and the Diagnosis of Conduct Disorder: The Neo-colonization of Suffering

Abstract Existing research attributes the disproportionate number of young African American men diagnosed with conduct disorder to a variety of factors but does not adequately incorporate historical, social, or political analysis. Utilizing the perspectives of Michelle Alexander and Joy DeGruy this article considers how historical stereotypes of Black men influence this diagnostic pattern and examines how slavery and its legacy impact the clinical practice of psychological assessment today. The way in which a client’s behavior is defined leads to specific treatment, and thus it is necessary to investigate the psychological models used for assessment and diagnosis as well as explore alternative ways to understand behavioral “symptomology” among young African American men. The purpose of this project is to encourage clinicians to consider how they define the healing and suffering of their clients and to encourage the incorporation of social and historical analysis into their psychological assessment and diagnosis process.
Source: Clinical Social Work Journal - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research