Real change or performative anti-racism? Clinical psychology programs' efforts to recruit and retain BIPOC scholars

Objective. The present study assessed perceptions of Clinical Psychology doctoral programs’ efforts to recruit and retain Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty and graduate students, as well as differences in such perceptions based on participants’: (1) position within their program (i.e., graduate student versus faculty) and (2) race.Method. Participants (n = 297) were graduate students and faculty from Clinical Psychology PhD and PsyD programs who completed an anonymous online survey. The survey assessed: perceptions of Clinical Psychology doctoral programs’ efforts to recruit and retain BIPOC graduate students and faculty members; participants’ sense of belonging and perceptions of racial discrimination within programs; and BIPOC participants’ experiences of cultural taxation and racism within their programs.Results. Faculty reported significantly greater perceptions of recruitment and retention efforts as well as less perceptions of racial discrimination than did graduate students. Asian, Black, and Latinx participants reported significantly less perceptions of recruitment and retention efforts and sense of belongingness, as well as greater perceptions of racial discrimination than did White participants. Experiences of cultural taxation were common among BIPOC participants, and approximately half (46.60%) reported that they have considered leaving academia - and approximately one third (31.37%) have considered leaving their program - due to experiences of racism in their program or field. Conclusions. Experiences of cultural taxation and racial discrimination are pervasive in Clinical Psychology PhD and PsyD programs. Whether intentional or not, these behaviors contribute to racially toxic environments and contribute to leaks in the mental health workforce pipeline.