Research

The Sawubona Healing Circle Study:

The Sawubona Healing Virtual Circle Study, funded by SAMHSA, is a longitudinal assessment of the efficacy of The Association of Black Psychologists Inc’s Sawubona Healing Circles. This study is a collaboration with Drs. Angela Haeny and Chyrell Bellamy at Yale School of Medicine and The Association of Black Psychologists Inc (ABPsi). In 2020, The Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) drew attention to how the history of racism in the U.S. had created and exacerbated extant medical racial inequities to the detriment of Black people. In consultation with the Black Family Summit, ABPsi developed a pilot investigation, the Sawubona Healing Circle (SHC) initiative, which are culturally-grounding healing circles to support Black first responders. Since then, the groups have been expanded to offer support broadly within the Black-identifying African diaspora. The use of African terms and concepts from various African ethnic groups can be especially beneficial for strengthening a sense of pan-African ethnic identity among Black people making the Sawubona Healing Circle a candidate as an adjunctive support for Black people seeking treatment for mental health or substance use challenges; however, limited quantitative and preliminary qualitative data exists on the feasibility and acceptability of the Sawubona Healing Circle among Black people with mental health problems or substance use disorders. For more info on the Sawubona Healing Circles: https://abpsi.org/programs/sawubona/

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Black Consciousness Project: 

A collaboration with the Black Consciousness Collective. Developing theory on collective Black consciousness (involves qualitative and archival methods, later quantitative methods), assessing the development of this construct in adolescents in distinct contexts (community and justice-involved; involved qualitative and quantitative methods). This will evolve into the MT-SIDE project which examines the effect of state contact on Black consciousness. 

 

Intergenerational Haitian Traumas Project: 

A collaboration with a working group extended from the UN’s permanent forum for people of African descent. CBPAR project assessing the psychological legacies of Haiti’s history of occupation, exploitation, and violence within Haitian families. During the next academic year, the first arm (the Elders project) will be completed and we will be actively engaging in community events/interviews.  

 

Decarcerating Care Program Evaluation:

Collaboration with the Institute for the Development of Human Arts assessing the effects of their programing on alternative methods to psychological care on clinicians and community members through qualitative and quantitative assessment. By the next academic year, interviews will either be nearing completion or fully completed and data analysis will be beginning.