TY - JOUR
T1 - Empathy, compassion, and connection should be central in suicide assessment with youth of color
T2 - Commentary on Molock et al. (2023)
AU - Sommers-Flanagan, John
AU - Rides At The Door, Maegan
PY - 2024/10/1
Y1 - 2024/10/1
N2 - Molock et al. (2023) offered an excellent scholarly review and critique of suicide assessment tools with youth of color. Although providing useful information, their article neglected essential relational components of suicide assessment, implied that contemporary suicide assessment practices are effective with White youth, and did not acknowledge the racist origins of acculturation. To improve the suicide assessment process, psychologists and other mental health providers should emphasize respect and empathy, show cultural humility, and seek to establish trust before expecting openness and honesty from youth of color. Additionally, the fact that suicide assessment with youth who identify as White is also generally unhelpful, makes emphasizing relationship and development of a working alliance with all youth even more important. Finally, acculturation has racist origins and is a one-directional concept based on prevailing cultural standards; relying on acculturation during assessments with youth of color should be avoided. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
AB - Molock et al. (2023) offered an excellent scholarly review and critique of suicide assessment tools with youth of color. Although providing useful information, their article neglected essential relational components of suicide assessment, implied that contemporary suicide assessment practices are effective with White youth, and did not acknowledge the racist origins of acculturation. To improve the suicide assessment process, psychologists and other mental health providers should emphasize respect and empathy, show cultural humility, and seek to establish trust before expecting openness and honesty from youth of color. Additionally, the fact that suicide assessment with youth who identify as White is also generally unhelpful, makes emphasizing relationship and development of a working alliance with all youth even more important. Finally, acculturation has racist origins and is a one-directional concept based on prevailing cultural standards; relying on acculturation during assessments with youth of color should be avoided. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85206276191&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/amp0001358
DO - 10.1037/amp0001358
M3 - Article
C2 - 39388129
AN - SCOPUS:85206276191
SN - 0003-066X
VL - 79
SP - 970
EP - 972
JO - American Psychologist
JF - American Psychologist
IS - 7
ER -