Question

Why is there a Lack of African American Males in Counseling Programs?

Answer 1

One of the most important factors in the lack of African american males in counselling programs is because of the gender socialisation and expected gender roles. The man in a society is seen as strong, independent and achievement oriented. These traditional role expectations from men in the society make the man hesitant to seek counselling and therapy. Research on this topic has shown that African Americans have a lot of stigma about mental health and African american men feel that their personal matters should not be be discussed with outsiders. There is lot of fear and embarrassment in seeking help as they have negative attitude towards mental disorders, and even if the problem is serious they did not seek help.

Another reason is that in African american culture, therapy or counselling may mean a sign of weakness, as a man is supposed to handle his own problems. Moreover, throughout history, African Americans did not have good relations with white people, and most of the therapist and counsellors are typically white. This makes them uncomfortable as they are not able to confide in the therapist. Lastly, another important reason is that among African Americans, there is a lack of awareness of mental disorders. So, even if a person has a mental disorder they may not recognise it.