Naming the pain: A model and method for therapeutically assessing the psychological impact of racism
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ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4241-0190
Date of Graduation
5-8-2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
Advisor(s)
Craig Shealy
A. Renee Staton
Lee Sternberger
Abstract
This study is an exploratory applied research project piloting a therapeutic assessment model and method for addressing racial trauma. Therapeutic Assessment for the Psychological Impact of Racial Encounters (TAPIRE) hopes to illuminate the impact of racial trauma, process racial identity and experience, and explore effective intervention techniques to address a client’s particular relationship with racial identity and distress. Four measures, in addition to a clinical interview, were used to assess different aspects of one’s identity structure, racist experiences, and self-treatment. The four-session process concluded with each participant receiving an assessment report that included information gathered as well as an individualized recommendation section that matched their needs and experiences of racial trauma with an appropriate racial trauma therapy framework. The ultimate goal was to emphasize the need to assess racial injury when conceptualizing the developmental and life factors that may be impacting a client’s distress and gain a better understanding of how then to address racial injury in a therapeutic setting. This study summarizes the TAPIRE process and provides narrative from each participant regarding the efficacy of the assessment. Data collected from participant feedback highlighted how therapeutic assessment can help clients gain more insight into the impact of their lived experiences as people of color and also will be used to refine this race-based model and method through future research and practice.
Recommended Citation
Handford, Connesia, "Naming the pain: A model and method for therapeutically assessing the psychological impact of racism" (2020). Dissertations, 2020-current. 10.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/diss202029/10
Included in
Clinical Psychology Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Health Psychology Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons
