Culture-centered Disaster Mental Health: Meeting the Needs of Children and Adolescents

Int'l Counseling Conference 2007 - Shanghai

Culture-centered Disaster Mental Health: Meeting the

Needs of Children and Adolescents

Dr. Cirecie West-OlatunjiRachael GoodmanUniversity of Florida


Problem Statement

Gulf Coast communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina needed post-disaster

mental health services


Problem Statement (cont.)

Historically marginalized communities require attention to contextual issues,

including historical trauma and oppression (Harrell, 2000)


Review of the Literature: Multicultural Considerations

• Culture impacts coping strategies; dominant vs. non-dominant groups use different coping methods (Scott, 2003)



• Culturally marginalized individuals may experience ecological stressors in addition to the disaster (Harrell, 2000)



• Thus it is critical to provide mental health services for children and adolescents that address previously existing mental health needs in addition to current disaster-related concerns


Attending to Multicultural Considerations

• Thus it is critical to provide mental health services for children and adolescents that address previously existing mental health needs in addition to current disaster-related concerns


Attending to Multicultural Considerations

• This includes case conceptualization, which should be done within the framework of the individual’s own culture

(Holdstock, 2000; Ibrahim et al., 2001; Kambon, 1996)


Culture-centered Interventions• Collectively identify the issue and try new

perspectives (Nobles, 1984)


Culture-centered Interventions• Collective, narrative group approach through the

Story Circle format (Junebug Productions, 2000; Williams-Clay, West-Olatunji & Cooley, 2001)


Culture-centered Interventions• Systemic/ecological perspective (Pardeck &

Chung, 1997) through the Community-as-client model (West-Olatunji & Watson, 1999)


Recommendations• Increase scholarship on racism-related PTSD

(Olatunji, 1997) in order to develop an understanding of the relationship between racism and trauma


Recommendations• Augment counselor preparation to enable

counselors to respond to culturally diverse individuals


Selected ReferencesHarrell, S. P. (2000). A multidimensional conceptualization of racism-related stress: Implications for the well-being of people of color. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 70, 42-57.Holdstock, T. L. (2000). Re-examining psychology: Critical perspectives and African insights. Philadelphia: Routledge.Ibrahim, F. A., Roysircar-Sodowsky, G., & Ohimshi, H. (2001). Worldview: Recent developments and needed directions. In J. G. Ponterotto, J. M. Casas, L. A. Suzuki, & C. M. Alexander (Eds.). Handbook of multicultural counseling (2nd ed., pp. 425-456). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Junebug Productions. (2000). Junebug’s story circle process. http://home.gnom.org/~junebug/story4.html.Kambon, K.K.K. (1996). The Africentric paradigm and African American psychological liberation. In D. A. ya Azibo (Ed.), African Psychology in Historical Perspective & Related Commentary (pp. 57-69). Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, Inc.Nobles, W. W.(1986). Ancient Egyptian Thought and the Development of African (Black) Psychology. In M. Karenga & J. H. Carruthers (Eds.) Kemet and the African worldview: Research, rescue and restoration (pp. 100-118). Los Angeles: University of Sankore Press.


Selected References cont.Olatunji, C. A. (1997). Culture-centeredness training as an intervention for chronic racism-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in African-American adolescents. Unpublished dissertation: University of New Orleans.Pardeck, J. T. & Chung, W. S. (1997). Treating powerless minorities through an ecosystem approach. Adolescence, 32, 625-34.Scott, Jr., L. D. (2003). Cultural orientation and coping with perceived discrimination among African American youth. Journal of Black Psychology, 29, 235 - 256.West-Olatunji, C., Watson, Z. (1999). Community-as-client mental health needs assessment: Use of culture-centered theory & research. The Community Psychologist, 31, 36-38.Williams-Clay, L., West-Olatunji, C., & Cooley, C. (2001). Keeping the story alive: Narrative in the African-American church and community, with Educational Resource Information Clearinghouse - Counseling and Related Services (ERIC-CASS) ERIC No: ED462666, pp. 1-9.


Q & A


Contact InformationCirecie A. West-Olatunji, Ph.D.Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Counselor EducationCollege of EducationUniversity of Florida1204 Norman Hall POBox 117046Gainesville, FL 32611(352) 392-0731 x-235(352) 846-2697 (fax)[email protected]

Rachael D. Goodman, Ed.S.Doctoral StudentDepartment of Counselor EducationCollege of EducationUniversity of Florida1204 Norman Hall,POBox 117046Gainesville, FL 32611(214) 282-4507(352) 846-3011 (fax)[email protected]

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Culture-centered Disaster Mental Health: Meeting the Needs of Children and Adolescents