Psychology in DR Congo, from 1954 to the present days

From 1954 to 2024, 70 years of existence of Lovanium, a pioneering university in the DRC under the colonial yoke, within Faculty Institute of Psychology and Pedagogy attached to the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters.

Several Belgian studies of the period reveal colonial objectives and interests, characterized by intentional biases of the authors (Maistriaux, d’Ombredane).  The Institute of Psychology and Pedagogy of Lovanium had favored studies of measurement and appreciation of the intelligence of the Congolese, no significant difference with the white man.

In 2002, the clinical psychology option appeared at the University of Kinshasa, 48 years after work and school psychology options. Already in 1983, six clinical psychologists from the CNPP and seven others created the Association of Clinical Psychologists of Zaire (UPCZ).  The term “UNION” symbolizing the struggle of a profession.

In 2003 creation of the profession of clinical psychologist, publication Official Journal/RDC n°7 and 8/2004. All these official documents make the UNPC the first association of officially recognized psychologists in the country.

In 2017 UNPC joined PAPU (Pan-African Union of Psychologists). In 2019 UNPC and PAPU are organizing an international conference in Kinshasa. A member of the UNPC sits on the executive committee of PAPU.

Prof. Olea Balayulu

Oléa Balayulu Makila is a PhD from the University of Bourgogne Franche Comté in France, currently Professor of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology at the University of Kinshasa and visiting professor at several other universities in the DRC. He is also an Expert in the National Mental Health Program at the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention (MSPHP), National President of the National Union of Clinical Psychologists.

Call for increased psychometric practice in Africa

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior, hence psychologists are actively involved in the study and understanding of mental processes, brain functions, and behavior. By inference, the science of psychology centers on psychometrics, which is the measurement or quantification of behavioral properties or constructs. While it is much easier to understand and appreciate the measurement of physical properties, it is a herculean task quantifying human behavior; because of its complexity and dynamism. Considering the challenges faced by most nations in Africa, especially in terms of behavioral dispositions to corruption, terrorism, cultism, banditry, inter-ethnic, communal and religious conflicts, and the like; the call for more scientific approach to understanding the behaviors of Africans would require the use of home-made psychological tests. In an environment where African scholars rely more on foreign psychological tests, the practice of the profession becomes limited in effectively capturing the behavior of Africans. Trying to understand how Africans behave, why they behave the way they do, prediction and modification of their behaviors is a great challenge for the psychologists. There is therefore a call for conscious intensive advocacy, training and practice in the field of psychometrics.

Psychologists in Africa are more exposed to foreign developed and standardized psychological tests than locally manufactured tests. Consequently, students in higher institutions tend more to studying variables that these tests capture, in the African environment, even when their prevalence may be low. Due to limitedness in tests to capture the unique behavioral problems in Africa, many pertinent “African behavioral problems” are left unstudied. Practitioners in the field also find it difficult to address some behavioral issues due to unavailability of psychological tests. It is on this note that this paper would promote the importance of locally developed psychological tests that would readily capture prevalent behaviors in African, and outline some tips on how to develop and validate psychological tests for African use.

Prof. Benjamin Ehigie

Professor Osayawe Bejamin Ehigie has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Psychology, from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1982-86), Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, from the University of Ibadan (1987-1988); Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Degree from the University of Ibadan (1988-1993). Professor Ehigie received the University of Nigeria Bursary Award for academic excellence during his first degree, made the best result in his M.Sc. class and was offered a lecturing job in the University of Ibadan. He passed through the academic ranks and was promoted to the rank of full Professor in 2006.

Professor Ehigie has served the University of Ibadan as a Faculty Sub-Dean (Postgraduate), Acting Head and substantive Head of Psychology Department, Editor and Sub-editor of several journals, Foundation National Coordinator and President of the Nigerian Association of Industrial and Organisational Psychologists (NAIOP), a Fellow of the Nigerian Psychological Association (NPA), a Fellow of NAIOP, a Certified Management Consultant, a Professor of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, with research specialization in Psychometrics and Consumer Psychology.  He is the Dean, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan. He is a recipient of several research grants and was awarded the Visiting International Scholar position at Dickinson College, Pennslyvania, USA, (2004-2005). He is a Visiting Professor, and external examiner to several universities in Nigeria He teaches in the University of Ibadan School of Business, a consultant to the University of Ibadan Consultancy Services, International Psychometric Centre, and some other institutions.

Clinical and Forensic Psychology from a U.S. Perspective

Psychological practice has operated in the United States for more than 150 years, now representing a multitude of subspecialties. Hundreds of academic programs provide psychological training and supervision, and tens of thousands of specialized psychologists are employed throughout the US. However, despite this tremendous variety in psychological practice, there are some common cultural foundations that exist across all areas of US psychological practice. At its roots, US psychological practice operates largely in an individualistic context, placing accountability for change within the individual client, focusing on cognitive and emotional change while often diminishing cultural and spiritual belief systems, restricting access to care to those that can afford it, and relying on a medical model of “fixing” diseases and deficits rather than enhancing strengths and resiliencies. We will explore how these foundations impact the practice of clinical and forensic psychology in the US, how they may compare and contrasts with those found in other nations, and where progress and creativity is pushing these foundations forward. In addition, we will explore our own training and service model at the University of Denver, which emphasizes the role of community and strives to ensure that our clients’ intersectional identities are empowered, seen, and heard.

Dr Neil Gowensmith

Neil Gowensmith is a core faculty member at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology, teaching exclusively in the Masters of Forensic Psychology program. In 2014, he created and became the director of the department’s forensic mental health institute, Denver FIRST (The University of Denver’s Forensic Institute for Research, Service, and Training), which operates a postdoctoral fellowship, an outpatient competency restoration program, and a robust forensic evaluation service. Dr. Gowensmith has worked in prisons, jails, courts, community mental health centers, and mental health hospitals throughout his career. He continues to serve as a national expert in forensic mental health, with consultation, research, and practice focusing specifically on outpatient competency restoration, standards for forensic evaluators, conditional release of insanity acquittees, and public forensic mental health systems.

Dr Lavita Nadkarni

Dr. Lavita Nadkarni received her Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from City University-John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adelphi University’s Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. Her APA accredited clinical psychology internship was at New York University Medical Center/ Bellevue Hospital in New York City and Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center. She is Director of Forensic Studies and Professor at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP), where she teaches graduate level students and supervises doctoral and postdoctoral students who conduct forensic assessments for those who are legally involved and underserved. She has been teaching, consulting, and presenting on issues related to forensic psychology for more than 25 years. As a clinical psychologist for the Courts, she has provided forensic psychological evaluations relating to the matters of domestic violence, trauma, immigration, and asylum, competency, parental custody and access, child abuse and neglect, and assessment of risk. Dr. Nadkarni has also supervised graduate students involved in research contracts assessing high-risk criminally involved populations, and those returning citizens who have co-occurring substance use and mental illness disorders. She has program evaluation experience with correctional and legally-encumbered individuals and programs. She has presented on animal maltreatment evaluations and collaborative responses to animal cruelty cases.

Decolonisation and Climate Psychology

The world is experiencing unprecedented global heating and associated adverse weather events with negative impacts on mental health, physical health, ecosystems, infrastructure and economic systems. Psychologists are playing an increasingly important role in attempting to understand the impacts of climate change and interventions to address it. However, psychologists have inadequately acknowledged the unfairness of climate change (marginalised groups are disproportionately affected by climate change and ecological destruction) and the colonial underpinnings of climate change that shape much of that unfairness. This presentation focuses on strengthening the role of the decolonial movement and its intersections with climate psychology. The presentation describes the role of psychologists in the climate emergency, including some potential problems with current approaches. It then discusses the colonial assemblages that continue to promote the structural biases of climate change. It outlines how decolonial ideas emanating from within (for example, decolonial psychology) and outside of (for example, decolonising climate justice) psychology may be useful in strengthening climate psychology, including examples of how this is happening. Lastly, the presentation suggests recommendations for future work.

Prof. Brendon Barnes

Brendon Barnes is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Johannesburg. His work focuses on environmental and climate change injustices through inclusive and action-oriented research. He writes in psychology and environmental health and contributes to the field in three ways: to deepen understanding of ‘behaviour’ in environmental studies, to strengthen critical methodologies, and to reveal how climate and environmental activism is undermined and enhanced.