Positive Psychology in Racial and Ethnic Groups

Book excerpt: Positive psychology has become a vibrant, well-regarded field of study, and a powerful tool for clinicians. But, for many years, the research in areas relevant to positive psychology, such as happiness, subjective well-being, and emotional intelligence, has been based on findings from largely White samples and has rarely taken the concerns of the ethnic community into consideration. Now, for the first time, leaders in the field have come together to provide a comprehensive reference that focuses specifically on how a culturally-informed approach to positive psychology can help capitalize on the strengths of racial minority groups and have a greater potential to positively impact their psychological well-being. Taking into account the rich and diverse cultural histories of ethnic groups, the information presented in this volume can help clinicians use positive psychology to inspire minorities to be effective agents in their environments and communities. Acting as a bridge between positive psychology theory and research -- largely based on an essentialist view of human behavior -- and the realities of practice and assessment in diverse groups, Positive Psychology in Racial and Ethnic Groups focuses on four main ethnic groups: Asian Americans, Latin Americans, African Americans, and American Indians. Broken into five major sections -- an introduction to the field, theory and research, assessment, clinical interventions, and a discussion of what the future may hold -- this is a unique volume in the field, and a call to action for researchers and clinicians everywhere.