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THE MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE ON RACISM: DISORDER OR SOCIAL CONSTRUCT?

Samuel Marson·Patricia Dovyak
Published 30 January 2025
Vol. 11, No. 3 (2023)
pp. 1-20
CC BY 4.0
  1. 1
    Samuel Marson
    Professor Emeritus, Sociology Department, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, 4755 Century Oaks Lane, Winston
    GB
  2. 2
    Patricia Dovyak
    Director, Social Work Program, University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, OH 45674.
    US

The debate regarding racism as a potential mental disorder remains inconclusive in the field of mental health. This ongoing discussion between experts like Alvin Poussaint, MD, and Jeffrey Schaler, Ph.D., has failed to provide a definitive resolution. The main issue at hand is the absence of clear criteria to determine the classification of a mental disorder. To make progress in this debate, a fundamental question needs to be addressed: What defines a mental disorder? Without a solid framework for defining mental disorders, it is impossible to definitively categorize racism within this classification. This paper argues for a paradigm shift in the approach to this discussion, emphasizing the importance of grounding the debate in scientific principles. Only by establishing a scientific foundation can we hope to make substantial progress in the understanding of racism as a potential mental disorder

JournalApplied Psychology, Sociology, and Social Policy Journal
ISSN2998-8411
Volume / IssueVol. 11, No. 3 (2023)
Pages1-20
Published30 January 2025
Access Open Access
LicenseCC BY 4.0 — reuse with attribution
PublisherKeith Publications
Marson , S., Dovyak, P. (2025). THE MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE ON RACISM: DISORDER OR SOCIAL CONSTRUCT?. Applied Psychology, Sociology, and Social Policy Journal, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 1-20

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