Psychology Events

Call for increased psychometric practice in Africa

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior, hence psychologists are actively involved in the study and understanding of mental processes, brain functions, and behavior. By inference, the science of psychology centers on psychometrics, which is the measurement or quantification of behavioral properties or constructs. While it is much easier to understand and appreciate the measurement of physical properties, it is a herculean task quantifying human behavior; because of its complexity and dynamism. Considering the challenges faced by most nations in Africa, especially in terms of behavioral dispositions to corruption, terrorism, cultism, banditry, inter-ethnic, communal and religious conflicts, and the like; the call for more scientific approach to understanding the behaviors of Africans would require the use of home-made psychological tests. In an environment where African scholars rely more on foreign psychological tests, the practice of the profession becomes limited in effectively capturing the behavior of Africans. Trying to understand how Africans behave, why they behave the way they do, prediction and modification of their behaviors is a great challenge for the psychologists. There is therefore a call for conscious intensive advocacy, training and practice in the field of psychometrics.

Psychologists in Africa are more exposed to foreign developed and standardized psychological tests than locally manufactured tests. Consequently, students in higher institutions tend more to studying variables that these tests capture, in the African environment, even when their prevalence may be low. Due to limitedness in tests to capture the unique behavioral problems in Africa, many pertinent “African behavioral problems” are left unstudied. Practitioners in the field also find it difficult to address some behavioral issues due to unavailability of psychological tests. It is on this note that this paper would promote the importance of locally developed psychological tests that would readily capture prevalent behaviors in African, and outline some tips on how to develop and validate psychological tests for African use.

Prof. Benjamin Ehigie

Professor Osayawe Bejamin Ehigie has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Psychology, from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1982-86), Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, from the University of Ibadan (1987-1988); Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Degree from the University of Ibadan (1988-1993). Professor Ehigie received the University of Nigeria Bursary Award for academic excellence during his first degree, made the best result in his M.Sc. class and was offered a lecturing job in the University of Ibadan. He passed through the academic ranks and was promoted to the rank of full Professor in 2006.

Professor Ehigie has served the University of Ibadan as a Faculty Sub-Dean (Postgraduate), Acting Head and substantive Head of Psychology Department, Editor and Sub-editor of several journals, Foundation National Coordinator and President of the Nigerian Association of Industrial and Organisational Psychologists (NAIOP), a Fellow of the Nigerian Psychological Association (NPA), a Fellow of NAIOP, a Certified Management Consultant, a Professor of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, with research specialization in Psychometrics and Consumer Psychology.  He is the Dean, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan. He is a recipient of several research grants and was awarded the Visiting International Scholar position at Dickinson College, Pennslyvania, USA, (2004-2005). He is a Visiting Professor, and external examiner to several universities in Nigeria He teaches in the University of Ibadan School of Business, a consultant to the University of Ibadan Consultancy Services, International Psychometric Centre, and some other institutions.

Clinical and Forensic Psychology from a U.S. Perspective

Psychological practice has operated in the United States for more than 150 years, now representing a multitude of subspecialties. Hundreds of academic programs provide psychological training and supervision, and tens of thousands of specialized psychologists are employed throughout the US. However, despite this tremendous variety in psychological practice, there are some common cultural foundations that exist across all areas of US psychological practice. At its roots, US psychological practice operates largely in an individualistic context, placing accountability for change within the individual client, focusing on cognitive and emotional change while often diminishing cultural and spiritual belief systems, restricting access to care to those that can afford it, and relying on a medical model of “fixing” diseases and deficits rather than enhancing strengths and resiliencies. We will explore how these foundations impact the practice of clinical and forensic psychology in the US, how they may compare and contrasts with those found in other nations, and where progress and creativity is pushing these foundations forward. In addition, we will explore our own training and service model at the University of Denver, which emphasizes the role of community and strives to ensure that our clients’ intersectional identities are empowered, seen, and heard.

Dr Neil Gowensmith

Neil Gowensmith is a core faculty member at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology, teaching exclusively in the Masters of Forensic Psychology program. In 2014, he created and became the director of the department’s forensic mental health institute, Denver FIRST (The University of Denver’s Forensic Institute for Research, Service, and Training), which operates a postdoctoral fellowship, an outpatient competency restoration program, and a robust forensic evaluation service. Dr. Gowensmith has worked in prisons, jails, courts, community mental health centers, and mental health hospitals throughout his career. He continues to serve as a national expert in forensic mental health, with consultation, research, and practice focusing specifically on outpatient competency restoration, standards for forensic evaluators, conditional release of insanity acquittees, and public forensic mental health systems.

Dr Lavita Nadkarni

Dr. Lavita Nadkarni received her Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from City University-John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adelphi University’s Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. Her APA accredited clinical psychology internship was at New York University Medical Center/ Bellevue Hospital in New York City and Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center. She is Director of Forensic Studies and Professor at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP), where she teaches graduate level students and supervises doctoral and postdoctoral students who conduct forensic assessments for those who are legally involved and underserved. She has been teaching, consulting, and presenting on issues related to forensic psychology for more than 25 years. As a clinical psychologist for the Courts, she has provided forensic psychological evaluations relating to the matters of domestic violence, trauma, immigration, and asylum, competency, parental custody and access, child abuse and neglect, and assessment of risk. Dr. Nadkarni has also supervised graduate students involved in research contracts assessing high-risk criminally involved populations, and those returning citizens who have co-occurring substance use and mental illness disorders. She has program evaluation experience with correctional and legally-encumbered individuals and programs. She has presented on animal maltreatment evaluations and collaborative responses to animal cruelty cases.

Decolonisation and Climate Psychology

The world is experiencing unprecedented global heating and associated adverse weather events with negative impacts on mental health, physical health, ecosystems, infrastructure and economic systems. Psychologists are playing an increasingly important role in attempting to understand the impacts of climate change and interventions to address it. However, psychologists have inadequately acknowledged the unfairness of climate change (marginalised groups are disproportionately affected by climate change and ecological destruction) and the colonial underpinnings of climate change that shape much of that unfairness. This presentation focuses on strengthening the role of the decolonial movement and its intersections with climate psychology. The presentation describes the role of psychologists in the climate emergency, including some potential problems with current approaches. It then discusses the colonial assemblages that continue to promote the structural biases of climate change. It outlines how decolonial ideas emanating from within (for example, decolonial psychology) and outside of (for example, decolonising climate justice) psychology may be useful in strengthening climate psychology, including examples of how this is happening. Lastly, the presentation suggests recommendations for future work.

Prof. Brendon Barnes

Brendon Barnes is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Johannesburg. His work focuses on environmental and climate change injustices through inclusive and action-oriented research. He writes in psychology and environmental health and contributes to the field in three ways: to deepen understanding of ‘behaviour’ in environmental studies, to strengthen critical methodologies, and to reveal how climate and environmental activism is undermined and enhanced.

An inquiry into the experiences of female victims of human trafficking in Ethiopia

The purpose of this study is to tell the story of female victims of human trafficking from Ethiopia. It relates to the cause of trafficking and how it affects their social and emotional wellbeing. The study is conducted in light of constructivist framework and involves in-depth interviews with five returnees whose experiences as victims are explored. This is done to get insight into the challenges faced by the wider population. Themes evident in the stories are discussed in line with relevant literature. The study shows lack of job opportunities, limited income and false promises made by brokers as the major factors drawing women into human trafficking. The findings also show that even after return, the victims experience further difficulties due to post-traumatic psychological factors.  Looking at the significance of the research outcome, the gleaned information could be of value for organizations working on migration, Rehabilitating trafficking survivors and countering human trafficking.

Keywords: Female, Human trafficking, Migration, Migrant workers, Psychosocial and victims of trafficking.

Prof. Assefach Haileselassie Redda

Asefach Haileselassie is a Psychologist, Certified Management Consultant and an expert on Migration & Human Trafficking & psychosocial support. She focuses on Psycho-educating her society through various media outlets, Training, Counseling and writing books and articles. She is the Author of two books in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia and the books focused on parenting and family life. She is currently working on preparing her two books in English language to address African and the global audience at large. Asefach has served as a President and Vice President of the Ethiopian Psychology Association (EPA) in different times and she is the founding member of the Executive Board of the Pan African Psychology Union (PAPU). Asefach is married and a mother of 3, one daughter and two sons and one granddaughter.

Transformative Change through Clinical Supervision with Cultural Humility

Mental health needs in South Africa are significant.  An estimated one out of  every eight people currently have a diagnosable mental health condition (Sorsdahl et al., 2023); one in six adults met diagnostic criteria for depression, anxiety, or substance use in a 12-month period (Herman et al., 2009; Sorsdahl et al., 2023).  In addition, there is a significant and severe shortage of providers:  .97 public sector psychologists and .31 public sector psychiatrists per 100,000 uninsured in the population who include a historically marginalized, culturally, racially and linguistically diverse client population.  As Pillay and Nyandini (2020) concluded in their follow-up to a study by Pillay and Siyothula (2008), no increase in admissions of black students had occurred even though the Health Professions Council of South Africa had set a target for increasing training numbers of black African students two decades prior.

In their study of South African clinical and counseling supervisors’ perceptions, Hendricks, Cartwright, and Cowden (2021) concluded that currently, individuals begin supervising prematurely, without formal training or readiness.  This impacts quality of care, attitudes towards psychological intervention.

Addressing this crisis, clinical supervision through a frame of cultural humility has potential to be an agent of change.  In South Africa, data on admissions and completion of graduate training indicate critical need for attention to multicultural diversity recruitment, familiarity and comfort with cultural diversity in mental health, and availability of services, distinct needs of the client population, and demographics generally.  Introducing the study of psychology early in elementary school curriculum is a good entry point.

Mental health needs in South Africa are significant. An estimated one out of every eight people currently have a diagnosable mental health condition (Sorsdahl et al., 2023); one in six adults met diagnostic criteria for depression, anxiety, or substance use disorders in a 12-month period (Herman et al., 2009; Sorsdahl et al., 2023). However, there is a severe shortage of mental health providers: only 0.97 public sector psychologists and 0.31 public sector psychiatrists per 100,000 uninsured individuals in the population, which includes a historically marginalized, culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse client population (Pillay & Nyandini, 2020). Despite the Health Professions Council of South Africa setting a target to increase the training of Black African students two decades prior, Pillay and Siyothula (2008) found no increase in admissions of Black students.

Hendricks, Cartwright, and Cowden (2021) concluded that in South Africa, clinical and counseling supervisors often begin supervising prematurely, without formal training or readiness, impacting the quality of care and attitudes toward psychological intervention. Addressing this crisis, clinical supervision through a frame of cultural humility has the potential to be an agent of change. Data on admissions and completion of graduate training in South Africa indicate a critical need for attention to multicultural diversity recruitment, familiarity and comfort with mental health, availability of services distinct to the client population’s needs, and demographics generally, including introducing the study of psychology early in the elementary school curriculum.

Strategies to address interest in psychology training through use of a competency-based supervision model in the frame of cultural humility are presented to enhance accessibility, value attached, and perceived relevance of mental health treatment and career development.

Carol Falender, Ph.D. is co-author/editor of seven books on clinical supervision and consultation, has presented workshops on clinical supervision, the competency-based model, multicultural supervision, and ethics and regulatory issues in supervision in the U.S., Canada, and internationally. She received the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy Distinguished Award for International Advancement of Psychotherapy in 2023.