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Mental Illness Among African-Americans

MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICANS

This research examines the characteristics and prevalence of mental illness (psychological problems and disorders) among the African-American population component in the United States. African-Americans do not experience psychological problems that are not experienced by other ethnic and racial groups in the population of the United States; however, causal factors, prevalence, and outcomes at times are different among African-Americans than is true of other ethnic and racial population groups (Capers, 1994, pp. 57-64).

For purposes of this research, mental illness among African-Americans is discussed within the context of four phenomena. These phenomena are (1) family dysfunction, (2) chemical abuse, (3) clinical depression, and (4) psychological stress. That these phenomena are interrelated is recognized. Separate discussions, however, provides for a more orderly presentation of the material.

A variety of reasons underlie the social and psychological problems exhibited by many children in contemporary society. One of these factors is abuse perpetrated by someone in a position of trust or authority in the life of a young person (Howing, 1990, pp. 244-49). The most debilitating outcomes of abuse experienced by a young person are a loss of self-esteem, hopelessness, and depression (Ogata, 1990, pp. 1008-1013). The cycle of abuse, hopelessness, depression, and the loss of self-esteem is associated with such outcomes as a failure to develop effective interpersonal skills, ineffective social integration, and dysfunctional families (Jean-Gilles & Crittenden, 1990, pp. 323-329).

Pollock (1990, pp. 1290-1293) found that children of divorced parents were more likely than were other children to experience abuse. The battered child is the most prevalent image of the abused child in the United States; however, psychological damage stemming from sexual abuse frequently poses more serious ri...

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Mental Illness Among African-Americans. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 06:28, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1694811.html