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This dissertation investigated African American parents/caregivers perceptions of childhood psychopathology and psychological services. A qualitative study was conducted in which study participants were interviewed about their lived experiences of their children´s functioning that school based evaluators considered atypical. This investigation also sought to uncover forms of help seeking and perceived barriers to seeking help among African American parents/caregivers. Treatment implications noted that African Americans are disproportionately underrepresented in the utilization of psychological services. This study´s findings might contribute new information regarding the barriers to the receptivity and use of current psychological services by African Americans. Additionally, if parents of African children experience aversive relationships with the school it may effect perceptions of the mental health system since psychological evaluations, diagnoses and related treatment regimens are affiliated with this system.

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Doctorate of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology) and Master of Arts (Psychology) both from Duquesne University. Bachelor of Science (Psychology) from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Shaw University (Raleigh, NC.).

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