Antiracist training programs for mental health professionals: A scoping review

• Published in: Clinical psychology review 2024-03, Vol.108, p.102373, Article 102373
• Main Authors: Cénat, Jude Mary, Broussard, Cathy, Jacob, Grace, Kogan, Cary, Corace, Kim, Ukwu, Gloria, Onesi, Olivia, Furyk, Sarah Elisabeth, Bekarkhanechi, Farid Mansoub, Williams, Monnica, Chomienne, Marie-Hélène, Grenier, Jean, Labelle, Patrick R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antiracist competences; Antiracist training; Mental health care; Mental health professionals
• ISSN: 0272-7358; 1873-7811; 1873-7811
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102373

Racism has been shown to be directly deleterious to the mental health care received by minoritized peoples. In response, some mental health institutions have pledged to provide antiracist mental health care, which includes training mental health care professionals in this approach. This scoping review aimed to synthesize the existing published material on antiracist training programs among mental health care professionals. To identify studies, a comprehensive search strategy was developed and executed by a research librarian in October 2022 across seven databases (APA PsycInfo, Education Source, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science). Subject headings and keywords relating to antiracist training as well as to mental health professionals were used and combined. There were 7186 studies generated by the initial search and 377 by the update search, 30 were retained and included. Findings revealed four main antiracist competencies to develop in mental health professionals: importance of understanding the cultural, social, and historical context at the root of the mental health problems; developing awareness of individual biases, self-identity and privilege; recognizing oppressive and racism-sustaining behaviors in mental health care settings; and, employing antiracist competencies in therapy. Professionals who have taken trainings having the main components have developed skills on the interconnectedness between racialized groups' mental health and the cultural, religious, social, historical, economic, and political issues surrounding race, necessary for successful clinical practice and for providing anti-racist mental health care. This scoping review presents a summary of the essential antiracist competencies drawn from the literature which must be applied in a mental health care setting, to improve help seeking behaviors, and reduce distrust in mental health care professionals and settings. •Trainings aiming to develop antiracist competencies are provided to various mental health professionals.•Four main components of antiracist competencies addressing racism at different levels were found.•Knowledges on social, cultural, historical aspects of racism, awareness of own biases, non-oppressive approaches contribute to provide antiracist care.•Evaluated programs showed that trainings on antiracist competencies contribute to decrease biases, negative stereotypes and racial microaggressions, and to have better therapeutic alliance with patients.