History of community psychology in Ghana

Abstract

This chapter traces the emergence and practice of community psychology in Ghana. We begin with a discussion of the early stages of the development of community psychology in the country. Having been foreshadowed by the activities of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), community psychologists mainly use the classroom as a catalyst for promoting the values and principles of the field. The classroom is also used for sensitizing individuals about this field of psychology. The chapter also highlights the fertile psycho-social background that makes the acceptance of community psychology a natural fit in Ghana.We also discuss the challenges in the development and practice of community psychology as a formal discipline in one of the country's universities and conclude with optimism that the field has a promising future in Ghana. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.