Psychology of European American children

Psychological well-being is the foundation for all children's developmental competence and school success. Despite recommendations that socializing institutions, such as schools, devote more resources to children's mental health (United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) 1999a), relatively little is known about the needs and resources of some groups of children. In this chapter, we will focus on European American children and adolescents. Despite their majority status, they have been relatively understudied as a racial group per se, with most information deriving from their role as a comparison for other racial or ethnic groups. We will review their history, mental health status, mental health needs and resources, and make recommendations for future research and practice.