Dismantling Systemic Inequities in School Psychology: Cultural Humility as a Foundational Approach to Social Justice

Abstract

School psychology has faced longstanding challenges in advancing equity and parity due to persistent oppression, racism, and colonialism in the field. These challenges have contributed to critical shortages of faculty and practitioners who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), racial disparities in educational and mental health services for children, and White hegemony in school psychology research and scholarship. The purpose of this commentary is to outline and advocate for a cultural humility framework as the foundation of social justice to improve discourse, practices, and service delivery by engaging in ongoing self-awareness (e.g., critical reflexivity, understanding of power and privilege), and sustained actions (e.g., social justice advocacy, alliances with communities) to improve outcomes of the individual and community (e.g., relational empowerment). Implications of incorporating cultural humility for trainers, researchers, and practitioners are discussed as continuing efforts to improve institutional and professional accountability are needed to facilitate systemic change.

Impact Statement

The field of school psychology continues to face challenges advancing equity in research, practice, and policy. We present a cultural humility framework as a foundation for antiracism and anticolonialism. School psychologists engage in critical reflexivity, acknowledge their power and privilege, act to remove structural barriers, and use relational empowerment to partner with communities.

Keywords:

• advocacy
• colonialism
• cultural humility
• social justice
• racism
• oppression

ASSOCIATE EDITOR:

• Frank C. Worrel

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Andy V. Pham

Andy V. Pham, PhD is an associate professor of school psychology at Florida International University. His research interests include examining neurocognitive (e.g., executive functioning) and sociocultural factors that affect academic and mental health outcomes of children, adolescents, and diverse populations. He aims to reduce racial ethnic disparities in mental health and education through the use of evidence-based and culturally responsive school-based practices.

Anisa N. Goforth

Anisa N. Goforth, PhD is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Montana. Her research interests focus on culturally responsive evidence-based practices among children and adolescents and ways to train future school psychologists to provide effective mental health and academic supports with cultural humility.

Lisa N. Aguilar

Lisa N. Aguilar, PhD is an assistant professor of school psychology at Indiana University. Her research interests include creating equity in schools for Indigenous youth, fostering cultural humility in graduate students and other professionals, and academic interventions as a form of prevention and culturally responsive education.

Isaac Burt

Isaac Burt, PhD is an associate professor of counselor education at Florida International University. He has seventeen years’ experience in schools, mental health agencies, and community centers. He has an interest in social justice for historically marginalized populations, culturally sensitive treatments, multicultural group work, and how the neuroscience concept of flow can improve optimal human performance.

Renee Bastian

Renee Bastian, BA is a graduate student in the Education Specialist program in school psychology at Florida International University. Her research interests include addressing multicultural issues and ethnic disparities in mental health and education, culturally and linguistically diverse students and bilingualism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and social justice advocacy in school psychology.

Diana M. Diaków

Diana M. Diaków, MA is an international doctoral candidate in school psychology at the University of Montana. Her research interests focus on refugee youth’s mental health and resilience. She has delivered psychosocial and educational support to culturally diverse youth and families in eight countries across various settings (e.g., refugee camps, schools, youth homes, clinics). She is actively involved in policy making and advocacy for the rights of minority and migrant youth in Europe and the United States.