Martha Bernal:
the life of a woman minority
psychologist
History of Psychology
June 20, 2006
Early Influences and Zeitgeist
Andrea Villareal
Early Life
• Born in San Antonio, Texas on April 13,
1931.
• Parents were Alicia and Enrique de
Bernal, who were Mexican emigrants.
• Martha was immersed in a bi-cultural
experience.
• Conflicting messages about culture and
education.
Education
• Martha graduated from El Paso High
School
• Attended Texas Western College (now
University of El Paso)
• Earned her Master of Arts degree from
Syracuse University in 1955.
• Earned her doctoral degree in clinical
psychology from Indiana University in
1962.
Educational Influences
• The impact of other influential psychologists.
– Skinner and Pavlov
– Dissertation mentors: Roland Davis & Arnold
Binder
– Charles Ferstner& Ogden Lindsley
• Postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA
• Early work at University of Arizona
– Ronald Tharp
– Ralph Wetzel
• Return to UCLA
– Influence of Ivar Lovaas
Motivation to Improve Minority
Status in the Field
• Under representation of women and
minorities.
• Disrespect faculty showed towards
women.
• Challenges women faced with research
participation.
• Series of National Conferences in
Denver that raised her awareness of the
negative effects minority psychologists
suffered.
The Zeitgeist Martha Faced
• Educational challenges associated with
her cultural background.
• Family pressure and expectations.
• Gender expectations of women.
• Issues of respect and equality
associated with education, work and
research participation.
Struggles and Obstacles
Monika Burton
Obstacles of Women
Psychologists
• “Naturally” Inferior
to Men
• Less opportunities
– Education
– Work
• Social Appearance
• Unrecognized
Obstacles of Ethnic Minority
Psychologists
• Termed as
“undesirables” in
society
• Portrayed as less
intelligent
• Held back in their
education
• Supported by few, if
any
• Scholars
– Denied opportunity
to study psychology
– Denied publication of
their work
– Denied academic
appointments
• Not understood
Martha Bernal’s Personal
Obstacles
• Her Father
– education a “waste”
– traditional standards for women
• Society’s views on Ethnicity
– “violence, crime, and drugs”
– high school drop out rate
• Hispanic girls age 16-24 highest rate
• Lack of encouragement from teachers
Martha’s Personal Obstacles
continued...
• College
–
–
–
–
–
no research
mainly Whites
sexual harassment
quiet bystanders
1 in 4 chance to
finish degree
• Post Graduate
– “we do not hire
women”
Despite struggles, Martha held on to the belief
that the chance to succeed exists alongside the
challenge to overcome obstacles.
“Throughout my life, however critical I might be
of this country, I have felt grateful for the
opportunities of which I availed myself. They
would most likely not have existed had I lived in
Mexico.”
- Martha Bernal
Theories, Ideas, and Research
Hannah Pennington
Martha Bernal’s Work & Ideas
• There are two distinct phases of Dr.
Bernal’s career.
– Behavioral and Learning conceptualization
of childhood problems.
• “It was interesting to have been a part of a
major advance in treatment of human
problems, and advance that initially met strong
resistance from prevailing mental health
professional establishment” (Bernal, 1988, p
270)
– Researched and promoted importance of
training psychologists in diversity.
Phase One: Behavioral
• 1970: Autistic Schizophrenic
children stimulation vs.
normal children
• 1976: Excuses and drop out
rate
• 1978: Parent Training Manual
• 1982: Parents labeling of
conduct disorders
Phase Two: Diversity
• Saw previous research as dissatisfying,
decided to start out a new field of
research
• Denver University: Set 3 goals
– Research/teach topics of more interested
to people of color
– Advocate for people of color using
publications and presentations
– Work with APA to improve minority status
Phase Two: Diveristy
continued…
• 1982: Survey of Clinical Programs
• 1985: 6 skill sets identified as necessary
• Broad-based understanding of minorities
• Positive attitudes toward all groups
• Study of socio-cultural variables as behavioral
determinants
• Culturally appropriate interventions
• Ability to communicate in client’s own language
• Ethics of research/practice of psychology apply to all
groups
• 1993: Formation of ethnic identity
Phase Two: Diversity
continued…
• 1994: Decade of Progress
• Engagement in a change process leading to
cultural competence (rather than minimal
exposure to culture)
• Increase in minority faculty
• 1995: Counseling vs. Clinical programs
Weaknesses
• Practicality
– How to integrate these principles in
training programs
– How to improve current required courses
• Outcome Research
– Training necessary, but are these ideas
helpful?
– How have programs successfully or
unsuccessfullly integrated concepts?
Strengths
• Used research to address a HUGE need
• Translated her misfortune into
opportunity
• Identified key deficit areas in training
• Gathered others and influenced APA
Influence on the Times
Natalie Dimercurio
Influence on Ideas and Events
Guidelines now offer specific behavioral
recommendations that psychologists learn
more about specific ethnic minority
groups with which they may be working
with
They must also increase their contact
with ethnic minorities to enhance their
cultural awareness and knowledge
Influence on APA
• The 40-year journey
beginning in 1964
with the passage of
the Civil Rights Act
in Congress
• 2002:The approval
of the “Guidelines
on Multicultural
Education, Training,
Research, Practice,
and Organizational
Change for
Psychologists”
(American Psychological
Association [APA], 2003)
Infuence as a Woman and
Minority
• Struggles present, but
not like before
• People of color to make
up 50 percent of
population by middle of
20th century
• Now Lillian Comas-Diaz,
a Latina psychologist
edits a journal on
multicultural mental
health
Influence as a Woman and
Minority continued...
• Psychologists of color are some of the
leading researchers on the development
of identity among persons of color
• The development of multicultural
competencies and guidelines within
psychology are described as a difficult
process; however, with dialogues,
progress, and many breakthroughs
A Review of Her Life...
Summary of Accomplishments
• First Latina in the United States to earn
a doctoral degree in psychology
• Awarded at the First National
Multicultural Conference and Summit
• Established a Laboratory for the Study
of Classical Conditioning in Autistic
Children
Summary of Accomplishments
continued...
• Studied Ethnic Identity in Mexican
American children
• Drafted a Speech in Which the APA Was
Urged to Take Steps to Address Ethnic
Minority Issues
• Lifetime Achievement Award from the
Society for the Psychological Study of
Ethnic Minority Issues
How is Martha Remembered?
“[Martha] was passionate about her ideas, she
spoke out effectively against injustice, she
maintained high standards of scholarship and
professionalism, she demonstrated much
compassion for fellow human beings, and she
had considerable energy.”
-Vasquez & Lopez, 2002, p. 362
References
Ballie, R. (2002). Martha E. Bernal dies at age 70. Monitor on Psychology, 33, Retrieved June 1, 2006 from
http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan02/latina.html.
Bernal, M. (1996). How did you do it? Counseling Psychologist, 24, 269-272.
Bernal, M. & Castro, F.G. (1994). Are clinical psychologists prepared for service and research with ethnic minorities? Report of a
decade of progress. American Psychologist, 49, 797-805.
Bernal, M., & Kreutzer, S.L. (1976). Relationship between excuses and dropout at a mental health center. Journal of Consulting
and Clinical Psychology, 44, 494.
Bernal, M., & Miller, W.H. (1970). Electrodermal and cardiac responses of schizophrenic children to sensory stimuli.
Psychophysiology, 7, 155-168.
Bernal, M., & North, J.A. (1978). A survey of parent training manuals. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 11, 533-544.
Bernal, M., & Padilla, A.M. (1982). Status of minority curricula and training in clinical psychology. American Psychologist, 37,
780-787.
Faludi, S. (1991). Backlash. New York: Crown Publishers Inc.
Martha Bernal: Award for distinguished senior career contributions in the public interest. (2001). American Psychologist, 56,
922-924.
Martha Bernal: Life and contributions. Women’s Intellectual Contributions to the Study of Mind and Society. Retrieved from
http://www.webster.edu/%7Ewoolflm/bernal.html.
O’Connell, A.N., & Russo, N.F. (Eds.). (1988). Models of achievement: Reflections of
eminent women in psychology (Vol. 2). Erlbaum.
Knight, G.P., Bernal, M.E., Garza, C.A., & Cota, M.K. (1993). Family socialization and the ethnic identity of Mexican-American
children. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 24, 99-114.
Knight, G.P., Cota, M.K, & Bernal, M.E. (1993). The socialization of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic preferences
among Mexican American children: The mediating role of ethnic identity. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral
Sciences, 15, 291-309.
Quintana, S.M., & Bernal, M. (1995). Ethnic minority training in counseling psychology: Comparisons with clinical psychology
nd proposed standards. Counseling Psychologist, 23, 102-121.
Sleek, S. (1999). Three decades after king: A report card. Monitor on Psychology, 30, Retrieved June 1, 2006 from
http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan99/racism.html.\
Stevens, G. (1982). The women of psychology. Cambridge, Massachussetts:
Schenkman Publications Co.
Thompson, R.J., & Bernal, M.E. (1982). Factors associated with parent labeling of children referred for conduct problems. Journal
of Abnormal
Child Psychology, 10, 191-202.
Vasquez, M. J.T. (2002). Complexities of the latina experience: A tribute to Martha Bernal. American Psychologist, 57, 880-888.
Vasquez, M. J.T. (2003). The life and death of a multicultural feminist pioneer: Martha Bernal. The Feminist Psychologist
Newsletter, 30, retrieved June 1, 2006 from http://www.psych.york.ca/femhop/Martha%20Bernal.html.