Abstract:

Cyberpsychology is an emerging area of research and practice. According to Howard and Jaynes (2015), “Cyberpsychology is a recently emergent field that examines the impact of technology upon human cognition and behavior”. Much of the existing research literature that has been published over the past twenty years is grounded in the psychological study of human addictive behavior (Norman, 2017). Obviously, the former observation is one of the core functional areas in the research and practice of mental health. Mental Health care in communities of color remain one of the critical healthcare disparities.

Mental Health conditions that have been adversely impacted prolonged engagement with technological inventions and advancement (social media communications, cell phones, play stations, etc.) are proliferating exponentially (Fuster, et al., 2014). Mental healthcare disparities were already at a very critical stage. Technological engagement with social media (i.e. FACEBOOK, Twitter, Snap Chat, Electronic and Role Playing Games, etc.) alone has added a whole new level of critical mental healthcare problems (Choi and Kim, 2004).

The patterns of social communications have been explosively altered. The alteration of social communications has and is still occurring across all demographic groups (Fox and Warber, 2013). The alteration of social communication mechanisms has had a major impact on the individual cognitive and social behavior (Liu, 2016).

The impact that those technological tools and communicative engagements have had on human cognition and behavior problems in communities of color has been even more profound than the serious adverse impacts found in other communities. Behavioral Scientists and practitioners (Psychiatrists, Nurses, Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors, etc.) are engaged in a serious struggle to effectively address in an interprofessional manner, the rapid growth of psycho-social disorders resulting from the effect of technological engagement on human cognition and behavior (Gunia, et al, 2011).

Further, mental healthcare disparities are intractably associated with educational attainment disparities in communities of color. The observed interconnectivity of mental healthcare disparities and educational attainment disparities must approached in a more collective effort. Consequently, no serious discussion can take place to address educational attainment disparities without acknowledging the central role of mental healthcare disparities in the larger space of educational attainment disparities.

Consequently, educational professionals from pre-K though the higher educational levels are struggling too. They are in engaged in a very critical battle to effectively educate today’s student. Individuals whose cognitive and social behavioral functions have been adversely
impacted by technological engagement are populating the classrooms at all levels (Livingstone, 2008). As a result, educational professionals are engaged in a losing uphill battle in their attempts to close gaps that exist in educational attainment disparities (Lauricella, et al., 2010).


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Keywords:

Cyberpsychology, Mental Healthcare Disparities, Educational Attainment Disparities, Communities of Color.