Black Christian Clergy’s Perception of Mental Health
Location
2078
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
January 2015
End Date
January 2015
Abstract
This research seeks to understand the beliefs and attitudes of Black Christian Clergy (BCC) as it relates to their knowledge and perceptions of mental illness and treatment intervention as identified with their church members. The study allowed BCC to share in their own voice, from their personal experience in ministry to explain how they identify, assess and intervene with church members who present as having mental health issues. The purpose of the study was to answer the question “what is the BCC’s perception of mental health and how do they address mental health problems in their church community?” In response to this research question, this study will explored the relationship between faith and science: are they diametrically opposed to, or do they complement one another? Through observations and interviews, this study gained deeper insights into the experiences of BCC counseling members of their congregation. The study also explored the perceived experie e theme of faith and belief in God is the word “collaboration.” Collaboration between faith and science (reason) is the fundamental truth revealed in this research. Faith and science are not diametrically opposed but complimentary to one another because faith begins where science ends. The goal is to create any environment where both mental health practitioners and BCCs would come together to work hand-in-hand for the good of the individual, to facilitate mutual respect between mental health professionals and BCC. Finally, although the interviews were conducted using the question guide in an interactive process that explored emerging themes, there were new themes that were identified as central and common to BCC during the formal analysis process after the interviews were completed as was explored above. Further investigation of these would have been valuable but was not possible as the scope of this study was limited.
Black Christian Clergy’s Perception of Mental Health
2078
This research seeks to understand the beliefs and attitudes of Black Christian Clergy (BCC) as it relates to their knowledge and perceptions of mental illness and treatment intervention as identified with their church members. The study allowed BCC to share in their own voice, from their personal experience in ministry to explain how they identify, assess and intervene with church members who present as having mental health issues. The purpose of the study was to answer the question “what is the BCC’s perception of mental health and how do they address mental health problems in their church community?” In response to this research question, this study will explored the relationship between faith and science: are they diametrically opposed to, or do they complement one another? Through observations and interviews, this study gained deeper insights into the experiences of BCC counseling members of their congregation. The study also explored the perceived experie e theme of faith and belief in God is the word “collaboration.” Collaboration between faith and science (reason) is the fundamental truth revealed in this research. Faith and science are not diametrically opposed but complimentary to one another because faith begins where science ends. The goal is to create any environment where both mental health practitioners and BCCs would come together to work hand-in-hand for the good of the individual, to facilitate mutual respect between mental health professionals and BCC. Finally, although the interviews were conducted using the question guide in an interactive process that explored emerging themes, there were new themes that were identified as central and common to BCC during the formal analysis process after the interviews were completed as was explored above. Further investigation of these would have been valuable but was not possible as the scope of this study was limited.
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