The Clinical Program is committed to promoting awareness of, and respect for, cultural and individual diversity. It is our goal to train students to address issues of diversity in theory, research, and practice in clinical psychology. To achieve this goal, we integrate training on diversity issues throughout students’ learning experiences. In coursework, students complete an intensive core course devoted to diversity issues, and cover topic-specific material in all core clinical courses. In clinical training, students practice awareness of and response to diversity issues through clinical practica and individual supervision. In research, students consider diversity issues during study design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation. As a program and a community, we integrate diversity themes and topics into our clinical colloquium series and an annual retreat that encourages active discussion and reflection on diversity issues in our division. Finally, as members of the academic community, we seek opportunities to advocate for attention to issues of diversity outside of our own division at the department, college, and university levels.
Below are descriptions of the ways in which faculty in clinical psychology engage in diversity-related research:
Dixon-Gordon. Influences of gender and race/ethnicity/acculturation on emotional functioning and psychopathology. Examining the associations between emotional processes and psychopathology in underrepresented groups.
Grotevant. The Adoption Mentoring Partnership matches adopted children with a same-race, same-gender, undergraduate mentor, who is also adopted. We are conducting research examining program effects on mentors' and mentees' adjustment.
Harvey. Family relations and children with behavior problems, including the role of culture in parenting practices and child development.
Perry-Jenkins. Ways in which socio-cultural factors, such as race, ethnicity, gender, and social class, shape the mental health and family relationships of parents and their children. How social inequities create challenges and stressors in the transition to parenthood.
Ready. Individual differences in emotion and cognition based on adult age. Older adults’ different experiences and perspectives and how these factors may influence emotion regulation and coping. Unrecognized assets and resources in older adults.