Clinical practices with African Americans: Juxtaposition of standard clinical practices and Africentricism

Rapidly changing demographics necessitate increased awareness of the impact of race, ethnicity, and levels of acculturation on treatment efficacy and differential diagnosis of ethnic minorities. Increasingly, psychologists ar e in a position of providing treatment for clients whose cultural backgroun d differs from their own. Because African Americans have historically under utilized mental health services, sensitivity to the cultural variables repr esented by this group is a growing concern. An integrated approach to conce ptualizing, evaluating, and diagnosing African Americans from a culturally sensitive, Africentric perspective is provided.