What is Community Psychology?
Social justice. Action-oriented research. Global in nature. Influencing public policy. Working for empowerment. Multidisciplinary in focus. Celebrating culture. Preventing harm. Behavior in context. Social action. Supporting community strengths. Reducing oppression. Promoting well-being. Scientific inquiry. Honoring human rights. Respecting diversity.
Community psychology goes beyond an individual focus and integrates social, cultural, economic, political, environmental, and international influences to promote positive change, health, and empowerment at individual and systemic levels.
Featured New Content
“Here to Stay”: A High School Course formed with Community Psychology
Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Marginalized Groups | Tags: Featured ContentPublished in: Global Journal of Community Psychology PracticeLatinx high school students co-create and co-lead a course focused on identity and social action providing an example for others creating transformative educational opportunities for marginalized students.
The Community Psychologist Podcast: Alesha Bond
Posted in: Education, Marginalized Groups | Tags: Featured ContentGeorgia State University graduate student Alesha Bond discusses the necessity of student organizing to push for change and the intersections of her research and organizing. Alesha shares some accomplishments, discusses the challenge of navigating power differentials, and provides advice to graduate student organizers.
High-Quality Afterschool Programs for LatinX Youth
Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Education, Marginalized Groups | Tags: Featured ContentPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyLatinX youth’s cultural experiences are related to the ways in which they experience afterschool program activities and interact with staff. To better support diverse youth and their math and STEM learning, serious and thoughtful consideration should be given to the promotion of culturally responsive practices.
Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness in Communities of Color
Posted in: Mental Health | Tags: Featured ContentPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyWe can take an action-oriented approach to identify how cultural aspects of mental illness stigma manifest for racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. Culturally salient interventions can promote change and empowerment at systemic and individual levels.
The Roles of Settings in Supporting Immigrants’ Resistance to Injustice and Oppression: A Policy Position Statement by the Society for Community Research and Action
Posted in: Immigrant Justice | Tags: Featured ContentPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologySettings of various sizes and scopes can support immigrants’ resistance to oppression. This policy statement describes how.
Retiring Juvenile Detention Centers for Wrap-Around Community-Based Services
Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Criminal Justice | Tags: Featured ContentPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyYouth are not best served in JDC environments and should be diverted to community-based and therapeutic environments whenever possible. Girls’ feedback through a confidential youth advisory process prompted systemic change better suited to meet their needs.
Featured Research
“Safe Space” or “Brave Space”: How GSAs can Address Intersectionality
Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Marginalized Groups | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyCollective norms around race and immigration talk facilitated or impeded the extent to which these were discussed. Advisors and student leaders can embrace a “brave space” rather than a “safe space” dynamic to encourage students to participate in intersectional conversations.
Creating the Most Effective Collaborative Infrastructure
Posted in: Coalition Building, Criminal Justice, Violence Prevention | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyWhile infrastructures can improve teams’ relationships and work, some are difficult to implement. SARTs could first focus on infrastructures that build trust and buy-in before adopting other accountability-focused infrastructures. Improving SART infrastructures can help promote SART collaboration and thereby improve survivors’ experiences.
Learning “Maleness”: Implications for Mental Health
Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Mental Health | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyMasculinity and mental health are related, especially for adolescent boys. Findings reveal the need to support adolescent boys to resist expectations of stereotypical masculinity.
Brief Consultation Supports Interventions
Posted in: Education | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyTeachers receiving brief consultations taught more content than those who did not receive consultations. Consultation support to deliver a school-based program may need to be tailored and made briefer than is typical to fit different school contexts.
Coping with Mental Illness on Tumblr
Posted in: Mental Health | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyMarginalized groups use social media to build social capital and form communities. Social media can be a valuable resource for people experiencing mental illness, but the support experienced online varies among #hashtag communities on Tumblr.
Recovery from Substance Abuse: We are as Successful as Those around Us
Posted in: Housing, Substance Use | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyThe social environment may be a more important influence on substance abuse recovery than previously recognized. Recovery can be strongly influenced by others with whom the recovering individual has regular social contact, whether for good or for bad.
