Psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean

The Caribbean and Oceania are understudied areas from a psychological perspective, and this book is designed to fill that knowledge gap. In addition to diverse, rich cultural traditions and abundant economic opportunity for some, these regions also reflect the challenges of modernity, including crime, poverty, ethnic tensions, adaptations to climate change, and disparities in health, education, and access to care. With contributions from noted psychologists in the Caribbean and Oceania, as well as experts from around the globe, this book provides nuanced examination of significant psychological issues in nations such as Fiji, Guyana, Belize, Haiti, Jamaica, and more. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals with an interest in this part of the world, will find this volume a rich resource, as will those generally interested in the relationship between culture and psychology.

This book takes you on an outstanding journey of what is occurring in cultural psychology in the 21st century. It addresses the abundance of each nation through a transformational lens of current practices in psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone interested in sailing the high seas connecting the present with the endless possibilities of those who dare to journey into the waters of a divine future.＂- Florence Denmark, Past-President, American Psychological Association

＂Chock full of expert knowledge and insights, Psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean is an indispensable resource for psychologists. A must-read that will expand your understanding of life in these regions and beyond! ＂- Pamela A. Hays, PhD, Author of Addressing Cultural Complexities in Practice

＂This is a breath-taking book in its coverage of the uniquely endowed psychology worlds of Oceania and the Caribbean. Now that Dr. Rich, Dr. Ramkumar, and colleagues have produced this awesome book volume on the cultural psychology of the rim water nations, I have a palpable sense of relief from their having addressed a huge gap in cultural psychology scholarship. This volume opens hitherto undreamed of opportunities for further studies on cultural practices in psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean!＂- Elias Mpofu, PhD, DE.D, CRC, MAPS, Professor of Health Sciences at the University of North Texas, Honorary Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney and Executive Board member of the Australian Psychological Society’s Rehabilitation Psychology Interest Group

＂This book represents a vital exploration into the purpose and practice of Psychology in island nations. It is a welcome compilation of academic writings from sociocultural perspectives within Oceania and the Caribbean and serves as a landmark account of the unique forces shaping the development and evolution of Psychology in these states.＂ - Gerard Hutchinson MD, Professor of Psychiatry, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Grant J. Rich, PhD, Fellow, American Psychological Association, Fellow, Association for Psychological Science, is senior editor of eight books, including ＂Pathfinders in International Psychology＂ (2015), ＂Internationalizing the Teaching of Psychology＂ (2017), ＂Human Strengths and Resilience: Developmental, Cross-Cultural, and International Perspectives＂ (2018), ＂Teaching Psychology around the World, Volume 4＂ (2018), ＂Teaching Psychology around the World, Volume 5＂ (2020), and ＂Psychology in Southeast Asia＂ (2020). Dr. Rich has published over 75 peer-reviewed journal articles/book chapters, in such journals as American Psychologist, the Humanistic Psychologist, and Journal of Positive Psychology, has published over 100 book reviews, and has presented at over 110 conferences around the globe from the Bahamas, Belize, Haiti, Jamaica, and Suriname to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Dr. Rich received the President’s Award for Extraordinary Service: APA Division of International Psychology, and was a National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute Fellow (in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, and in the Tropical Atlantic). He is Senior Contributing Faculty at Walden University and lives in Juneau, Alaska.

Neeta A. Ramkumar (B.A. Psychology, B.A. History, University of Texas at Austin; M.S. Educational Psychology, Ph.D. Counseling Psychology, Texas A&M University) is a licensed psychologist, consultant, and the founder of Psychology Across Borders, PLLC. She is dedicated to facilitating internationally partnerships that will expand access to mental health care worldwide. Dr. Ramkumar completed her APA accredited clinical psychology internship and postdoctoral fellowship at US Veterans Affairs hospitals and specializes in the treatment of trauma. As a lecturer at the University of the South Pacific, Dr. Ramkumar focused on mental health capacity building and contextualizing psychology training in island nations. She is particularly interested in how telepsychology, distance education, exchange programs can improve access in the Global South. Dr. Ramkumar consults for various community agencies internationally including firefighters/first responders, medical personnel, disability, law, and education. Her research interests include cross cultural and indigenous aspects of professional psychology, the role of self-compassion, family and multicultural factors in health outcomes, and a handful of understudied psychosocial issues in the populations she works with.