Stanley Sue (February 13, 1944 – June 6, 2024) was an American

clinical psychologist Clinical psychology is an integration of human science, behavioral science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well ...

known for his contributions to the field of multicultural studies, specifically in relation to the mental health issues of ethnic minorities and the need for

cultural competence Cultural competence, also known as intercultural competence, is a range of cognitive, affective, behavioral, and linguistic skills that lead to effective and appropriate communication with people of other cultures. Intercultural or cross-cultural ...

in the treatment of

psychological disorders A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

. Sue was a Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology at

Palo Alto University Palo Alto University (PAU) is a private university in Palo Alto, California that focuses on behavioral health disciplines like counseling, psychology, and social work. It was founded in 1975 as the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology and beca ...

. His work is often cited in discussions about the educational achievements of Asian Americans and the

model minority The term model minority refers to a minority group, defined by factors such as ethnicity, race, or religion, whose members are perceived to be achieving a higher socioeconomic status in comparison to the overall population average. Consequently, ...

stereotype In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalization, generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can ...

. Sue was a co-author of popular textbooks and other titles including ''Understanding Abnormal Behavior,'' ''Essentials of Understanding Abnormal Behavior,'' and ''The Mental Health of Asian Americans: Contemporary Issues in Identifying and Treating Mental Problems.''

Biography

Stanley Sue was born on February 13, 1944, in Portland, Oregon to a family of Chinese Immigrants. He has two older brothers, including Derald Wing Sue, Professor of Psychology and Education at

Teachers College, Columbia University Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) is the graduate school of education affiliated with Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, Teachers College has been a part of Columbia University since ...

, with whom he collaborated extensively. Sue and his brother Derald were co-founders of the Asian American Psychological Association. Sue received his B.S. degree in area of Psychology at the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a Public university, public research university in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1876, the university is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and gra ...

in 1966, He subsequently attended graduate school at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

(UCLA) where he obtained a M.A. degree in 1967 and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1971. Sue's doctoral dissertation on modes of reducing

cognitive dissonance In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is described as a mental phenomenon in which people unknowingly hold fundamentally conflicting cognitions. Being confronted by situations that challenge this dissonance may ultimately result in some ...

was conducted under the supervision of Bertram Raven. Sue was a member of the faculty at the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

, UCLA, and the

University of California, Davis The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Davis, California, United States. It is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University ...

prior to joining the faculty at Palo Alto University in 2011. Sue died from complications of open heart surgery on June 6, 2024, at the age of 80.

Research

Sue's work was dedicated to ethnic minorities and the difficulties they face in receiving treatment for mental health issues and how they may struggle in society due to discrimination and prejudice. Sue raised awareness of these issues and brought his research to medical committees to advocate for change. In pioneering research, Sue and his colleague Herman McKinney followed over 14,000 clients in 17 community mental health agencies located in King County in the State of Washington. The researchers observed that Black clients receiving treatment tended to drop out much earlier than White clients. Sue offered ideas on how to properly address this issue while raising awareness that the situation was even happening in the first place. Sue also brought to light that there may be a lack of transparency and connection in how a therapist works with a minority client. In doing so, Sue identified holes that were present in the field of psychology regarding the treatment of ethnic minorities and addressed the problem by advocating for multicultural competence in mental health care.

Awards

Sue received various prestigious awards throughout his career. These include the

American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychologists in the United States, and the largest psychological association in the world. It has over 170,000 members, including scientists, educators, clin ...

(APA) Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest Award in 1986 and the APA Distinguished Contributions to Research in Public Policy in 1996. Sue received the inaugural Stanley Sue Award for Distinguished Contributions to Diversity in Clinical Psychology in 2003. This award is given annually by the APA to "psychologists who have made remarkable contributions to the understanding of human diversity and whose contributions have significant promise for bettering the human condition, overcoming prejudice, and enhancing the quality of life for humankind." Other awards include the 1990 Distinguished Contributions to Research in Ethnic Minority Psychology, given by the Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues (APA Division 45), the 1990 Distinguished Contribution Award from the Asian American Psychological Association, and the 1999 Dalmas A. Taylor Award for Pioneering Leadership, Scholarship, and Aggressive Advocacy for Ethnic Minorities.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sue, Stanley 1944 births 2024 deaths 21st-century American psychologists University of Oregon alumni University of California, Los Angeles alumni Palo Alto University faculty University of California, Davis faculty 20th-century American psychologists People from Portland, Oregon American people of Chinese descent