A Flaw in the System: Psych Research

 As a psych major, something that has not only piqued my interest, but also slightly angered me throughout my studies, is how researchers throughout history have studied mental health disorders. Since its origin, clinical trials and psychological studies have been consistently, and solely performed on white men. Dating back to the earliest days of medicine, women, and people of color have been excluded from research and trials. This has not only impacted how treatment plans play out, how medicine affects one's body, but also how often diagnoses occur. From depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, to autism and more, women and people of color are either severely underdiagnosed, or improperly diagnosed. For years, researchers have assumed that the body and mind of the white male is “default”, and have since been treating all other human beings based on the findings from that of the white male. 

In the earlier days of medical research, women were barred from participating in trials because of their menstrual cycles. Researchers believed that their hormones would invalidate the trial, and mess up the data. Not surprisingly, the people performing these trials were men. Up until recently, psychologists and researchers considered women invalid candidates, and did not account that a woman's hormonal cycle impacts their mental and physical health, therefore impacting their potential diagnosis. The years of discrimination has led to a lack of understanding on how mental health disorders manifest in women. 

Like women, people of color, both male and female, are severely underrepresented when it comes to medical and psychological studies and trials. This is severely due to the systematic racism so deeply ingrained in our society. Researchers in the past 50 years or so have slowly begun to realize that the expression of mental health disorders and issues manifests differently in people of color versus white men. This has led to a need for more research, alterations of medication, and a call to action. How can one expect to treat their depression, for example, if physicians and therapists haven't received the proper information, education, and treatment plans for anyone else other than white males. 

How has ineffective treatment impacted women and people of color? It took a while for researchers to understand that the treatment plans will look differently on women and people of color. Not each mind works the same. Women have a completely different life experience than men, they have had to deal with different societal pressures, discrimination, and hormonal issues their whole lives. Same with people of color, they may have experienced racism, discrimination, and cultural differences than that of other cultures. All of these external and internal factors lead to different manifestations of mental health, making a need for varying treatment plans. Because research does not account for these factors, treatment has not been effective for women and people of color. Women metabolize drugs and medications differently than men. Group therapy sessions may not be as effective for one person, and extremely effective for the next person. These flaws in the system call for a need for more information, research, and a more diverse approach to psychology. 

There has been a growing push for more inclusive research. There has been recognition for the need of diverse research studies including women, people of color, and marginalized groups. Because of the climate of our society in modern times, researchers have been more willing to account for different cultures, genders, and overall life experiences when it comes to the mental health field. There has also been growing representation in the field. Mental health professionals are growing more diverse, no longer making it a white male led field. This has given marginalized groups a fighting chance at getting quicker and more accurate diagnoses. 

Though research is gradually growing more inclusive, women and people of color have yet to be studied. It is important that more research is done so that both parties are able to be understood. Mental health is such an important aspect of all peoples lives, and with the lack of research on all humans other than white men, it is difficult for us to fully understand how the mind works. Overall, the historical bias in the mental health field, which has predominantly been dominated by white men, has had a great impact on diagnosing and treating women and people of color. Creating a more equitable approach to research in the field will lead to more accurate and insightful treatments, and we will be able to ensure that everyone receives the care that they deserve, making mental health care more accessible and effective.