Hegemonic Bias of Mental Health Conventions

This project under the Mental Health Paradigms and Perspectives working group seeks to examine how societal power dynamics and prevailing cultural norms impact mental health and well-being. We aim to explore how dominant ideologies and systemic inequalities affect individuals’ mental health experiences and their access to mental health resources. By investigating the ways in which established conventions influence mental health, we hope to uncover how these factors contribute to disparities while identifying potential for culturally-adapted interventions.

Our objectives include analyzing the effects of cultural norms and power structures on mental health perceptions and experiences. We will also investigate how existing practices and systemic barriers contribute to inequities in mental health access and treatment. Through this, we aim to develop recommendations that address and mitigate the negative impacts of untailored conventions on mental health, and bolster the resources for underserved populations.

Project Leadership

For more information, please contact project lead Jennifer Jiang at mhpp@jopro.org.

• Jennifer Jiang, Project Lead — Simmons University | School of Social Work
• Jesse Parent, Project Contributor — University of California, San Diego | School of Computing, Information, and Data Sciences; Orthogonal Research and Education Lab