Abstract

Research on ethnic/racial/cultural (REC) groups can contribute to reducing mental health risks and treatment disparities among REC minorities. Content analysis is a way to measure the quantity and quality of REC-focused research within a given field. For this study, counseling psychology was chosen for its leadership in multicultural and social justice issues. Three journals (Journal of Counseling Psychology, The Counseling Psychologist, and Journal of Counseling & Development) were coded for several variables, including REC-minority focus, article topic, geographic location of sample, urban/rural setting of sample, and inclusion of ethnic identity and acculturation measures. The results showed that 490 (21.3%) of the articles were coded as REC-focused. Of the REC-focused articles, 107 (21.8%) articles were focused on African Americans, 99 (20.2%) were focused on Asian Americans, 74 (16.9%) were focused on Latinos, and 17 (3.5%) were focused on Native Americans. Additionally, 194 (39.5%) were coded as "Other." REC minorities, especially Latinos and African Americans, were found to be under-represented relative to their populations in the U.S. The results indicate a need for improved reporting practices and increased focus on REC minorities in counseling psychology research.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Marriage and Family Therapy

Rights

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