Prejudice, Stigma, Privilege, and Oppression: A Behavioral Health Handbook

This book addresses the ways in which clinical psychologists ought to conceptualize and respond to the prejudice and oppression that their clients experience. Thus, the link between prejudice and oppression to psychopathology is explored. Basic scientific information about prejudice is reviewed, and the current status of the major minority groups is explored. Chapters examine the role of prejudice and oppression in institutional structures such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and professional organizations. The discussion addresses ways to assess these phenomena in individual cases and how to intervene in psychotherapy. The book ventures to evaluate the status of the profession of psychology with respect to prejudice, stigmatization, and oppression by critically examining evidence that the profession has responded adequately to these social problems. These issues are hard to talk about and are not well talked about in the field. This book is a push in the right direction.

Lorraine T. Benuto received her doctoral degree in psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2009 and completed an internship at the Veteran's Administration in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While Dr. Benuto's research is broadly focused on ethnic minority behavioral health, much of the work that she does is focused on interpersonal violence, trauma, and Post-Traumatic Stress disorder. She is currently director of the DICE Center; and of three clinical service programs: La Cliníca VIVA, THRIVE, and SIERRA Families. The programs are focused on providing behavioral health services to Spanish-speaking Latinx community members, victims of interpersonal violence, and children who are at risk of abuse (respectively). She has delivered professional presentations at state, national, and international conferences on topics related to cultural competence.  

Melanie Duckworth received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia. Currently she is anassociate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she is director of the Health Risk and Traumatic Injury Research Program. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses that address lifestyle health behaviors that contribute to chronic medical conditions and the role of the behavioral health specialist in improving medical outcomes in patients with multiple medical conditions.

Akihiko (Aki) Masuda is an associate professor of psychology at University of Hawaii at Manoa, with expertise in clinical behavior analysis, cultural consideration in behavioural health, and contextual behavioural science. He completed his doctoral studies in clinical psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno and his pre-doctoral internship at the University of Texas Medical Science Center, Houston. His primary areas of interest include acceptance- and mindfulness-based therapies, diversity psychology, and mechanisms of change in behavioral interventions.

William O’Donohue is professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. He is director of the Victims of Crimes Treatment Center a clinic supported by the National Institute of Justice and the Nevada Attorney General that provides free treatment to child and adults who have been sexually abused. . His areas of specialization are mental health service delivery, forensic psychology, human sexuality, management and administration, and behavior therapy.