Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) is a time to recognize and celebrate the important contributions of Hispanic and Latino/a/x people. Highlighted below are the contributions from just a small sample of well-known Hispanic and Latino/a/x psychologists. In addition, some great resources of information include the Journal of Latinx Psychology (publishing research investigating the behavior and experiences of Hispanic and Latino/a/x populations), the National Latinx Psychological Association (dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Hispanic and Latino/a/x people and providing scholarships and mentorship to student members), and TXST’s HSI page (providing information on campus events to celebrate the month).
Martha Bernal, PhD
Dr. Martha Bernal was the first Mexican American woman to obtain her PhD in clinical psychology in the United States, which she did in 1962 from the University of Indiana. During her post-doctoral work and as a professor at Arizona State University, she conducted research on conditioning and learning processes in children with cognitive and behavior problems, including children with autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Bernal was one of the founding members and a president of the National Hispanic Psychological Association, advocated for the teaching of multicultural psychology and for the increased graduate training of Hispanic psychology students, and co-authored the book, Ethnic Identity: Formation and Transmission Among Hispanics and Other Ethnic Minorities. In recognition of her work, in 2001, the American Psychological Association (APA) honored her with the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest.
Lillian Comas-Diaz, PhD
Dr. Lillian Comas-Diaz, upon receiving her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts in 1979, worked at Yale University where she served as the director of the Hispanic Clinic. She is currently a professor at George Washington University. Dr. Comas-Diaz co-founded the Transcultural Mental Health Institute, was the founding editor of the Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology journal, and co-authored multiple books that include Multicultural Care: A Clinician’s Guide to Cultural Competence and Liberation Psychology: Theory, Method, Practice, and Social Justice. Her clinical and scholarly achievements earned her recognition from the APA with the Distinguished Contribution to Psychology in the Public Interest award, from the American Foundation with the Rosalee G. Weiss Award for Contributions to Professional Psychology, and from the Association for Women in Psychology with the Distinguished Publication Award.
Edward Delgado-Romero, PhD
Dr. Edward Delgado-Romero obtained his PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Notre Dame in 1997. He is currently a professor at the University of Georgia, where he also serves as Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Services. Dr. Delgado-Romero was a previous president of the National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA), established a psychology clinic to serve undocumented and uninsured Spanish-speaking clients, edited the book Latinx Mental Health: From Surviving to Thriving, and published over 50 journal articles relevant to multicultural or Latino/a/x psychology. Dr. Delgado-Romero has been recognized with the Distinguished Professional Career award from the NLPA, the Distinguished Career Contributions to Research award from the Psychological Study of Race and Ethnicity, and the Distinguished Contribution to Psychology in the Public Interest award from APA.
Olivia Espin, PhD
Dr. Olivia Espin earned her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Florida in 1974. She conducted post-doctoral work at Harvard University with a fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health, and was a professor at McGill University, Boston University, and San Diego State University. Dr. Espin’s scholarship incorporated advocacy, addressing important topics such as the mental health care needs of Latinas and immigrant/refugee women, prejudice and discrimination experienced by the LGBTQ community, and the intersectionality of gender and race. She earned the Distinguished Psychologist Award from the NLPA and two awards from the APA: the Distinguished Professional Contribution to Public Service award and the Denmark-Reuder Award for Outstanding International Contributions to the Psychology of Women and Gender.
Efrain Sanchez Hidalgo, PhD
Dr. Efrain Sanchez Hidalgo was the first Puerto Rican to earn a PhD in psychology, which he did in 1951 from Columbia University. Two years later, he became a professor at the University of Puerto Rico. Dr. Sanchez Hidalgo has more than 150 publications, including seminal work on symbiotic relationships among friends and a textbook on educational psychology that has been revised multiple times and is still used today in Latin American, the Philippines, and Spain. He additionally founded the scholarly magazine named Pedagogía, and he served three years as Secretary of Education of Puerto Rico. In recognition of his lifetime achievements in teaching and educational psychology, in 1971, he was honored as a Distinguished Educator by the Outstanding Educators of America.
George I. Sánchez, EdD
Dr. George I. Sánchez obtained his doctorate in educational psychology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1934. He was a professor at the University of Texas at Austin where he became the first professor of Latin American Studies. He was an advocate for improved public education of Hispanic and Black students in both the United States and Mexico, and he is one of the first researchers to argue that intelligence testing is biased against racial and ethnic minorities. Dr. Sánchez is further credited with the foundation of Chicano Psychology. Honoring his legacy, the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans named its charter school after him, the University of Texas at Austin named its College of Education building after him, and the National Education Association created the George I. Sánchez Memorial Award for individuals promoting equality of Hispanics.
Melba Vasquez, EdD
Dr. Melba Vasquez, a native of San Marcos, Texas, received her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1978. She has taught at both Colorado State University and the University of Texas at Austin, and she maintains a private practice in Austin. Dr. Vasquez was the first Latina president of the American Psychological Association, and she also served as president of the Society for Counseling Psychology, the Society for the Psychology of Women, and the Texas Psychological Association. Furthermore, she co-founded the Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minorities and co-authored two books: Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide and Multicultural Therapy: A Practice Imperative. In recognition of her professional work, the APA honored her with the Heiser Presidential Award for Advocacy and the Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology.