African-Centered Theses on Mental Health and a Nosology of Black/African Personality Disorder

Abstract

Mental health is defined and a diagnostic system of ordered and disordered African (Black) personality functioning is discussed. The discussion first is grounded in the backdrop of briefly stated but fundamental "Advances in Black Personality Theory." Mental health is then shown to be rooted in the original human's biogenetic nature, and, hence, the natural order. Both ordered and disordered personality functioning are considered in this context. The nosology systematizes 18 of the disorders of the African personality (a) with one another and (b) with the nosological system prevalent in Euro-American psychology (DSM-ILI). Two cases (one actual, one contrived) are presented to illustrate practical usage of the nosology.