Translating Liberation Psychology for Children and Adolescents from Historically Marginalized Racial and Ethnic Backgrounds: A Synthesis of the Literature

Youth from historically marginalized racial and/or ethnic backgrounds often face discrimination, oppression, prejudice, racism, and segregation (DOPRS). These experiences, in turn, impact well-being and psychological functioning. Though the field of clinical child psychology is on the path to address DOPRS in clinical practice, there is sparce guidance for clinicians. Liberation psychology aims to address oppression through understanding history, acknowledging and naming DOPRS, community solidarity, and healing. Liberation psychology may be a vehicle for clinical child psychologists to address the impacts of DOPRS and empower children and adolescents to promote joy and healing within clinical settings. The literature is reviewed and synthesized to provide practical guidance so clinical child psychologists may translate liberation psychology into clinical practice. Several conceptual frameworks are presented that may help in implementing liberation psychology. Suggestions are provided for how clinical child psychologists may move beyond notions of cultural competence to a psychologist-activist model. Specific methods to create a foundation of liberation psychology in mental health treatment are discussed, such as utilizing empowerment, community, critical consciousness, and ethnic-racial socialization. Finally, specific practice considerations are provided for clinical child psychologists when applying liberation psychology in treatment.