Description:
Background: A lack of diversity continues to be a problem in clinical psychology
courses and in the profession in the UK. People with racially marginalised identities,
i.e., people from marginalised cultural backgrounds, continue to be underrepresented
in the profession. There is consistency in the literature that under-represented groups
experience minority stress. Minority stress happens when people's worries about
being treated unfairly because of their marginalised identities collide with racism and
other kinds of discrimination in their environment. Studies on racially marginalised
people in clinical psychology so far have comprised samples that consisted
predominantly women, highlighting a marginalised narrative in clinical psychology: the
experiences of Black men in the profession. The current study was conducted to
address this gap.
Methodology: From a critical realist framework, 13 self-identified Black men of African
and Caribbean descent were interviewed on their experiences: training and practising
as clinical psychologists (CPs) in the UK. Seven were qualified CPs and six were
trainees.
Findings: A reflexive thematic analysis was used to generate three themes: “The
Burden of the “Threatening Stereotype,” “Not Belonging in Clinical Psychology,” and
“The Impact of Broaching Experiences.” The findings altogether suggested that British
clinical psychology may be enactive of social inequalities and barriers that Black men
often face in Western societies such as racism.
Conclusion: Leaders or people in senior management positions in clinical psychology
courses and the profession, including commissioners and supervisors, should be
aware of the isolation, discouragement and pressure that can befall Black men. This
is in relation to Black men attempting to reconcile two aspects that historically and structurally have been and seemed to remain incompatible: Black men and clinical psychology.