Student Spotlight:
Diversity-Related Work
Christopher DeJesus (he/him/his)
"Addressing Intersectional Identities and Experiences in Professional Psychology Trainees with Disabilities: A Call for Action" (2022)
Link to the article: https://eds.s.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=6d9b346a-b772-488f-bef4-4a7ecda7237d%40redis
Faigy Mandelbaum (she/her/hers)
My research focuses on (1) the presence of Druze soldiers (an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethno-religious minority group) in the Israeli army, and (2) the impact of childhood trauma in active Israel lone soldiers (a status in the army for soldiers who are from abroad or estranged from their families). With regards to Druze soldiers, my research found no negative bias due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In fact, with the exception of 2 illegible responses, all participants expressed positive Jews-Druze relationships. The soldiers praised Druze within their army as being ‘like brothers’, ‘the best commanders’, ‘part of the Israeli society’ and people who are ‘greatly honored’. With regards to the lone soldiers, the data showed higher rates of childhood trauma and greater associated PTSD symptomatology. In recognition of their position, the army and Jewish community have created numerous organizations that provide support for lone soldiers and their unique needs. Supports include the Lone Soldier Center, lone soldier veterans mentoring current lone soldiers (Ach Gadol program), events, monetary support, housing, and emotional support programs. I have been moved by the love and responsibility that Israeli soldiers and the community have towards each other. The struggle of the ‘lone soldier’ is not unique to Israel, it is a universal one. It is therefore my hope that other militaries will be inspired by this data to create similar ‘lone soldier’ programs so that no soldier is left behind.
Christopher DeJesus (he/him/his)
I am a player and volunteer coordinator for the Long Island Bombers, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and beep baseball team. Beep baseball is an accessible version of ordinary baseball that provides those with significant vision loss an opportunity to enjoy and participate in the sport. I got into beep baseball after meeting the team during a community demonstration, and decided to give it a try. Nine years later, I am now a starting player for the team and help organize some of our community events. One thing that I have learned is the positive impact that participation in adaptive sports can have on the mental and physical health of people with disabilities. Unfortunately, many disabilities present barriers that foreclose opportunities and impair quality of life through micro-aggressions, stigma, and a decreased sense of self-efficacy. Our team strives to break this cycle by having blind children, teens, and adults engage in an activity they might have previously expected not being able to do. My observation is that this generalizes to other areas of their life by opening doors that may have been closed prematurely.
Ecem Demirli (she/her/hers)
Intersectionality and Social Justice in Clinical Psychology Graduate Programs
With the increasing recognition of diversity in the last few decades, the field of psychology has shifted its focus from a narrow multicultural perspective to an intersectional framework. Intersectionality, introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, was originally intended to draw attention to the experiences of women of color that were overlooked by both feminist and anti-racist movements. In its contemporary form, intersectionality theory asserts that the intersections of individuals’ various identities (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation, class, immigration status, and age) uniquely position each individual in the societal systems of power and oppression. It highlights the multidimensional nature of identities and focuses on the privileges and the disadvantages that are associated with those intersecting identities. In the mental health field, an intersectional framework allows providers to develop a holistic understanding of the individuals they are working with by acknowledging various layers of their identities uniquely placed in systems of power.
Our research project explored whether or how intersectionality is incorporated into clinical psychology graduate training. As social justice is a core element of intersectionality, addressing social inequities, privilege, and oppression, our project also examined graduate students’ involvement in Social Justice Advocacy and their beliefs regarding the role of psychology field in Social Justice Advocacy.