ABSTRACT
The psychological well-being of African American students deserves greater attention in the literature, given the amount of research describing the academic under-performance. This is especially true of African American boys, who are disproportionately represented in special education classes and have an alarming prevalence of adolescent psychopathology diagnosis (i.e., attention deficit disorder, attention deficit with hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, etc.), (Porter, 1997). While the analyses of African American academic underachievement are replete in the literature, studies investigating resilience and protective factors for African American boys are scant. Even more distressing is the dearth of school counseling literature disseminating prevention interventions that promote academic performance, reduce academic underperformance, and address psychological well-being. This chapter asserts that school counselors have a role in developing prevention intervention for under-served students. We then propose the Progressive School Counseling Advocacy Model; next, we discuss the African American males and educational interventions, and then we provide an example of a culturally consistent school-based intervention, the African American Empowerment Curriculum (AAEC). Finally, we discuss the implications of this approach for school counselors to develop culturally responsive interventions.
