Black and White Racial Identity: Theory, Research, and Practice

by Janet E. Helms

Overview

This book examines the major theories of Black and White racial identity. Moreover, theoretical perspectives that were originally developed to describe social fomentation have been updated and expanded to explain the role of racial identity in counseling dyads, social relationships, and groups. Measures for assessing racial identity are described. Original research addresses the relationship of racial identity to other personality characteristics such as value orientations, decision-making styles and counseling process variables such as satisfaction, counselor strategies, and client reactions.

Part 1 presents basic racial identity theory and measurement issues as they pertain to individuals and intergroup functioning. Ideally this material will be useful to persons who are seeking a basic introduction to Black and White racial identity theory. Part 2 introduces empirical attempts to examine the correlates of racial identity. This section is primarily intended for the reader who is interested in generating research questions and/or evaluating some of those that already have been generated. Part 3 includes speculative and empirical chapters that study the influence of racial identity on everyday interactions. This material also describes the influence of racial identity attitudes on various kinds of counseling interactions. The final chapter presents models for promoting identity development. This book should appeal to anyone interested in the social and behavioral sciences, including psychiatry, social work, and cross cultural psychology; nursing and education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275946128
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/28/1993
Series:	Contributions in Afro-American and African Studies Series , #12
Edition description:	REPRINT
Pages:	297
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.59(d)
Lexile:	1510L (what's this?)

About the Author

JANET E. HELMS is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland and Fellow in Divisions 17 (Counseling Psychology) and 45 (Ethnic Diversity) of the American Psychological Society. She is an affiliate of the Counseling Center at the University of Maryland and is a licensed psychologist and private practitioner in Maryland and Washington D. C. She has authored many empirical and theoretical articles and book chapters on the topics of personality assessment and racial identity in the therapy process.

Table of Contents

Preface
Theory and Measurement of Racial Identity
Introduction: Review of Racial Identity Terminology
An Overview of Black Racial Identity Theory
The Measurement of Black Racial Identity Attitudes
Toward a Model of White Racial Identity Development
Development of the White Racial Identity Inventory
Psychological Correlates of Racial Identity
The Beginnings of a Diagnostic Model of Racial Identity
White Racial Identity Attitudes and Cultural Values
The Relationship between Black Racial Identity Attitudes and Cognitive Styles
Practical Applications of Racial Identity Theory
Counseling Attitudinal and Behavioral Predispositions: The Black/White Interaction Model
Does Race or Racial Identity Attitudes Influence the Counseling Process in Black and White Dyads?
Black Racial Identity Attitudes and White Therapist Cultural Sensitivity in Cross-Racial Therapy Dyads: An Exploratory Study
Applying the Interaction Model to Social Dyads
Generalizing Racial Identity Interaction Theory to Groups
Interventions for Promoting Better Racial Identity Development
Appendices
Author Index
Subject Index