| A review of literature in the fields of psychiatry and psychology has consistently shown differential mental disorder diagnoses according to race. Specifically, African Americans were diagnosed more frequently with a more severe mental disorder (e.g., schizophrenia) than Euro-Americans. However, these studies were limited to a narrow range of mental disorders, and only one study to date has examined whether professional counselors diagnose African American clients more often with certain mental disorders than Euro-American clients. This dissertation expanded on prior research in this area by investigating this phenomenon in clients with adjustment, substance-related, and childhood disorders who have been diagnosed by professional counselors. Results of chi square analyses (N = 899) revealed that professional counselors diagnosed African American clients with childhood disorders more often than Euro-American clients, whereas Euro-American clients were diagnosed more often than African American clients with an adjustment disorder. Two conceptual pathways related to these findings were discussed, including implications for clinical practice, counselor education and supervision, and future research. |
