Let the Church Say… One Congregation’s Views on How Churches Can Improve Mental Health Beliefs, Practices and Behaviors among Black Americans
Main Article Content
Keywords
The Black Church; mental health; community-based service delivery; stigma
Abstract
African Americans have historically turned to the Black Church in times of trouble and/or need, including when experiencing mental health problems as they often seen as having spiritual causes. The purpose of this study was to better understand what church members believe to be the Black church’s role in addressing mental health issues. Surveys were administered online to members of a Midwestern church and included questions about respondents’ mental health and service use histories and thoughts about church-based mental health services. A thematic analysis was performed on qualitative responses from 393 participants explaining why they supported a church-based counseling center. Findings suggest Black churches are positioned to address the unmet mental health needs of Black Americans, reduce mental health stigma in Black and/or Christian communities, and deliver culturally-appropriate, community-based mental health services to these groups.
References
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Blank, M. B., Mahmood, M., Fox, J. C., & Guterbock, T. (2002). Alternative Mental Health Services: The Role of the Black Church in the South. American Journal Of Public Health, 92(10), 1668-1672.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Dempsey, K., Butler, S. K., & Gaither, L. (2016). Black churches and mental health professionals: Can this collaboration work?. Journal of Black Studies, 47(1), 73-87.
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Harrison, H. D., Wubbenhorst, W. H., Waits, M., & Hurt, A. (2006). The Role of the Black Church in Community and Economic Development Efforts: A Workforce Development Case Study. Social Work & Christianity, 33(3), 288-305.
Hays, K. (2015). Black churches’ capacity to respond to the mental health needs of African Americans. Social Work & Christianity, 42(3), 296-312.
Jackson, B. K. (2015). Licensed professional counselors' perceptions of pastoral counseling in the African American community. The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 69(2), 85-101.
LeCook, B., Zuvekas, S. H., Carson, N., Ferris, G. F., Vesper, A., & McGuire, T. G. (2014). Assessing racial/ethnic disparities in treatment across episodes of mental health care. Health Services Research, 49(1), 206-229.
Lincoln, C. E., & Mamiya, L. H. (1990). The Black church in the African-American experience. Durham: Duke University Press.
McKinney, R. I. (1971). The Black Church: Its development and present impact. Harvard Theological Review, 64(4), 452-481.
Molock, S. D., Matlin, S., Barksdale, C., Puri, R., & Lyles, J. (2008). Developing suicide prevention programs for African American youth in African American churches. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 63(3), 323-333.
Okunrounmu, E., Allen-Wilson, A., Davey, M., and Davey, A. (2016). Black church leaders’ attitudes about seeking mental health services: Role of religiosity and spirituality. The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society, 6(4), 44-55.
Queener, J., & Martin, J. (2001). Providing culturally relevant mental health services: collaboration between psychology and the African American church. Journal of Black Psychology, 27(1), 112-122.
Scott, J. D. (2003). The scope and scale of faith-based social services: A review of the research literature focusing on the activities of faith-based organizations in the delivery of social services. Albany, NY: The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy.
Sue, D. W. & Sue, D. (2013). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.
Taylor, R. J., Ellison, C. G., Chatters, L. M., Levin, J. S.., & Lincoln, K. D. (2000). Mental health services in faith communities: The role of clergy in Black churches. Social Work, 45(1), 73-87.
Veroff, J., Douvan, E., & Kulka, R. (1981). The inner American: A self portrait from 1957 to 1976. New York: Basic Books.
Woodward, A. T. (2011). Discrimination and help-seeking: Use of professional services and informal support among African Americans, Black Caribbeans, and Non-Hispanic Whites with a mental disorder. Race and Social Problems, 3, 146–159.
Young, J. L., Griffith, E. E. H., and Williams, D. R. (2003). The integral role of pastoral counseling by African-American clergy in community mental health. Psychiatric Services, 54(5), 688-692.
Allen, A., Davey, M., & Davey, A. (2010). Being examples to the flock: The role of church Leaders and African American families seeking mental health care services. Contemporary Family Theory, 32(2), 117-134.
Avent, J. R., & Cashwell, C. S. (2015). The Black Church: Theology and implications for counseling African Americans. Professional Counselor: Research & Practice, 5(1), 81-90.
Ayalon, L., & Young, M. A. (2005). Racial group differences in help-seeking behaviors. The Journal of Social Psychology, 145, 391–403.
Blank, M. B., Mahmood, M., Fox, J. C., & Guterbock, T. (2002). Alternative Mental Health Services: The Role of the Black Church in the South. American Journal Of Public Health, 92(10), 1668-1672.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Dempsey, K., Butler, S. K., & Gaither, L. (2016). Black churches and mental health professionals: Can this collaboration work?. Journal of Black Studies, 47(1), 73-87.
Gaines, II, R. W. (2010). Looking back, moving forward: How the Civil Rights Era church can guide the modern Black Church in improving Black student achievement. The Journal of Negro Education, 79(3), 366-379.
Hankerson, S. H., & Weissman, M. M. (2012). Church-based health programs for mental disorders among African Americans: A review. Psychiatric Services, 63(3), 243-249.
Hankerson, S. H., Lee, Y. A., Brawley, D. K., Braswell, K., Wickramaratne, P. J., & Weissman, M. M. (2015). Research Article: Screening for depression in African-American churches. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 49(4), 526-533.
Hardy, K. M. (2012). Perceptions of African American Christians' attitudes toward religious help-seeking: Results of an exploratory study. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work, 31(3), 209-225.
Harrison, H. D., Wubbenhorst, W. H., Waits, M., & Hurt, A. (2006). The Role of the Black Church in Community and Economic Development Efforts: A Workforce Development Case Study. Social Work & Christianity, 33(3), 288-305.
Hays, K. (2015). Black churches’ capacity to respond to the mental health needs of African Americans. Social Work & Christianity, 42(3), 296-312.
Jackson, B. K. (2015). Licensed professional counselors' perceptions of pastoral counseling in the African American community. The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 69(2), 85-101.
LeCook, B., Zuvekas, S. H., Carson, N., Ferris, G. F., Vesper, A., & McGuire, T. G. (2014). Assessing racial/ethnic disparities in treatment across episodes of mental health care. Health Services Research, 49(1), 206-229.
Lincoln, C. E., & Mamiya, L. H. (1990). The Black church in the African-American experience. Durham: Duke University Press.
McKinney, R. I. (1971). The Black Church: Its development and present impact. Harvard Theological Review, 64(4), 452-481.
Molock, S. D., Matlin, S., Barksdale, C., Puri, R., & Lyles, J. (2008). Developing suicide prevention programs for African American youth in African American churches. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 63(3), 323-333.
Okunrounmu, E., Allen-Wilson, A., Davey, M., and Davey, A. (2016). Black church leaders’ attitudes about seeking mental health services: Role of religiosity and spirituality. The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society, 6(4), 44-55.
Queener, J., & Martin, J. (2001). Providing culturally relevant mental health services: collaboration between psychology and the African American church. Journal of Black Psychology, 27(1), 112-122.
Scott, J. D. (2003). The scope and scale of faith-based social services: A review of the research literature focusing on the activities of faith-based organizations in the delivery of social services. Albany, NY: The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy.
Sue, D. W. & Sue, D. (2013). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.
Taylor, R. J., Ellison, C. G., Chatters, L. M., Levin, J. S.., & Lincoln, K. D. (2000). Mental health services in faith communities: The role of clergy in Black churches. Social Work, 45(1), 73-87.
Veroff, J., Douvan, E., & Kulka, R. (1981). The inner American: A self portrait from 1957 to 1976. New York: Basic Books.
Woodward, A. T. (2011). Discrimination and help-seeking: Use of professional services and informal support among African Americans, Black Caribbeans, and Non-Hispanic Whites with a mental disorder. Race and Social Problems, 3, 146–159.
Young, J. L., Griffith, E. E. H., and Williams, D. R. (2003). The integral role of pastoral counseling by African-American clergy in community mental health. Psychiatric Services, 54(5), 688-692.