The current state of African American scholarship: a content analysis study of mainstream counseling journals

• Main Author: Scruggs, Kay Renee
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center 1993
• Subjects: Counseling
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/2016; http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3564&context=dissertations

The purpose of this study was fourfold. The first task was to examine selected characteristics of mainstream study journals in counseling. The second task was to examine selected article characteristics for these journals. A third task was to examine selected characteristics of articles addressing African American issues. The final task was to examine selected characteristics of authors addressing African American issues in study journals during the research period. Survey research and content analysis techniques were utilized to examine a total of 1715 articles for the study period. Of these, only 47 (or 2.7%) articles addressing African American issues were published. Measure of Central Tendency, Measures of Variability and Frequency Analysis were employed to analyze the data. Major findings indicate that: (1) policy statements of study journals emphasized research, practice and procedures; (2) authors addressing African American issues were males and affiliated with a majority/white institution; (3) four (4) out of the 47 authors were affiliated with UNCF and HBCU member institutions, and (4) principally addressed in studies were African American adults and issues of Black pathology and education/ miseducation. Implications for African American research, Black scholars and Black counselors are included. Limitations and directions for future research conclude this study.