Introduction to African Psychology and Community interventions

Question 1

What are some possible obstacles to therapy?

Answer 1

• Racial discrimination and language barriers.
• Mistrust toward healthcare professionals.
• Belief that “Western therapy doesn’t work on Eastern minds.”
• Stereotypes such as the “strong black woman” schema or “angry black men/women.”

Question 2

How does Western psychology differ from decolonising psychology?

Answer 2

• Western psychology:
  
  • Culturally niched.
  • Aligned with Western philosophy and values.
  • Data mainly from Western populations.
  • Enabled by colonialism.
• Decolonising psychology:
  
  • Focuses on inclusivity and diverse cultural contexts.
  • Challenges power imbalances and Western dominance.

Question 3

What is “othering”?

Answer 3

A process where a group is defined and treated as fundamentally different, often seen as foreign, inferior, or abnormal, reinforcing stereotypes, discrimination, and power imbalances.

Question 4

How does racial othering manifest in Western societies?

Answer 4

• Through media portrayals.
• Institutional racism.
• Social exclusion.

Question 5

What are indigenous psychologies?

Answer 5

Psychologies that emerge from a specific culture, tailored to its paradigms, and capable of critiquing or integrating other psychological frameworks.

Question 6

Give examples of indigenous psychologies.

Answer 6

1. Black psychology: Focuses on the well-being of individuals of African descent.
2. African psychology: Rooted in African cultural, social, and historical contexts.
3. Islamic psychology: Integrates Islamic teachings with modern psychological principles.

Question 7

What does African psychology emphasize?

Answer 7

• Community, spirituality, interconnectedness, and collective well-being.
• Understanding psychological experiences and practices within African contexts.

Question 8

What are the key concepts of African psychology?

Answer 8

1. African worldview: Interdependence between individuals and the community; principle of Ubuntu.
2. African cosmovision: The universe comprises physical, metaphysical, and spiritual planes.
3. African mental health paradigm: Harmony among emotional, social, physical, and spiritual factors.

Question 9

What is “Ubuntu”?

Answer 9

A belief that “a human being is made human through other humans,” emphasizing interconnectedness and collective well-being.

Question 10

How is well-being defined in African psychology?

Answer 10

Well-being consists of:

• Good health.
• Material success.
• Proper relationality.
• Peace of mind.

Question 11

What were the findings of Ohajunwa et al. (2021) regarding well-being?

Answer 11

• Spirituality is central to well-being.
• Social embeddedness and interdependence are key.
• Positive family relationships and humanism contribute significantly.

Question 12

How does the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual model (BPS-S) expand the original Bio-Psycho-Social (BPS) model?

Answer 12

Adds a spiritual dimension to consider organized religion, personal beliefs, connection to nature, or a sense of purpose as critical for health and well-being.

Question 13

What are some examples of African therapies?

Answer 13

1. Dream therapy: Categorizes dreams and uses rituals like singing and dancing for healing.
2. Harmony restorative therapy: Integrates therapeutic approaches to restore harmony between the individual and their world.
3. Ubuntu therapy: Combines African and Western techniques to promote Ubuntu and psychological balance.
4. Meseron therapy: Nigerian cognitive therapy focusing on the potency of spoken words and their consequences.

Question 14

What are outdoor therapies?

Answer 14

Therapies that integrate nature into the healing process, leveraging its intrinsic healing properties to enhance psychological and physical well-being.