Fathers from Diverse Communities: Q & A with Dr. Earl Turner
Our guest expert, Dr. Erlanger Turner, speaks to some of the emerging research about fathers in the pandemic and answers questions from several of our listeners who identify as fathers from diverse communities.
Dr. Turner is a licensed psychologist and an assistant professor of psychology at Pepperdine University. His research focuses on mental health among racial and ethnic communities, access to behavioral health services, cultural competency, and the impact of race-based stress.
Included in this episode about fatherhood:
How has the pandemic changed the lives of fathers?
Mothers – and fathers – report mental, physical health declines - American Psychological Association
How has the pandemic changed how children view their fathers/parents?
What are some of the added barriers for fathers from diverse communities this past year especially?
From Jason: “I am concerned with burdening my young child with the weight of racism, but I also feel compelled to provide him with the understanding and the tools to deal with prejudice and to make sure he comes home every day. Do you have any tips / suggestions?”
RESilience - American Psychological Association
From Jesse: “How do we keep from feeling like we failed our kids through this pandemic?”
From a father of a bi-racial son: “How do I avoid projecting my anxiety on my son about the racism he may experience?”
Bite-Sized Excerpts from This Episode
The Effects of Pandemic Stress on Fathers
Mental Health Barriers for Diverse Fathers
How do I keep my child safe without burdening them with the weight of racism?
Identifying What Activities Your Child Really Wants to Do
How do I avoid projecting my anxiety on my son about the racism he may experience?
How Fathers Can Build Resilience in Their Children and Themselves
Meet Our Guest Expert
Erlanger A. Turner, Ph.D.
Dr. Earl Turner is a licensed psychologist and an assistant professor of psychology at Pepperdine University in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology. His research expertise primarily focuses on mental health among racial and ethnic communities, access to behavioral health services, cultural competency, and the impact of race-based stress. He has published his research in peer-reviewed journals and serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Black Psychology, Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and The Counseling Psychologist. Dr. Turner is a nationally recognized mental health expert and has been quoted by top media sources including The New York Times, Washington Post, Ebony, Oprah Magazine, NPR, NBC News and more. He is the author of Mental Health among African Americans: Innovations in Research and Practice and is the Immediate Past-President of the Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice (Division 37 of the American Psychological Association) where he was the 1st Black male to be elected to serve as president. More recently, he founded Therapy for Black Kids, a non-for-profit organization created to help Black parents raise healthy kids in the 21st century.