Editor Spotlight

Esteban Cardemil, PhD, is an associate professor of psychology at Clark University, where he leads the Culture, Community, and Mental Health laboratory.

Dr. Cardemil received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

Tell us a bit about your background: What is your area of research? What is your most recent journal-editing experience?

Since 2002, I have been on the faculty at Clark University in the clinical psychology doctoral program. My research is focused on understanding and addressing the disparities in mental healthcare that disproportionately affect populations from low-income and racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.

I have served on the editorial boards of multiple journals over the years, and for the past four years I have been one of the associate editors of the Journal of Latinx Psychology (JLP).

Briefly, what are your main priorities? For example, how will you grow readership, what type of scholarship would you like to see in the journal, and what kind of content are you hoping to attract?

After our first four years of publication, JLP is in a very good position. Readership has grown steadily, our financial situation is strong, and the quality and breadth of research being published is impressive.

My priorities build upon the strong foundation Azara Santiago-Rivera set these past four years. In particular, JLP will continue to publish high-quality research that advances our understanding of issues that are of relevance to Latina/os, including immigration, education, health and wellness, and mental health and treatment.

By publishing high-quality, impactful work through our regular format and periodic special issues, JLP will continue to develop as the principal knowledge source for topics relevant to Latina/o psychology.

Why is this journal important for the field? What is its relevance to society/public health? What are the hot issues in your area right now?

JLP fills a critical need for the field, given the tremendous growth in the Latina/o population over the past few decades. This population growth has not been matched by growth in economic opportunities, educational achievement, or health outcomes, and there remain many gaps in our understanding of these issues. Moreover, the current political discourse has considerable implications for Latina/os of all backgrounds, and its impact is not yet fully understood.

As a specialty journal, JLP allows for deeper, more thorough consideration of these issues than is typically possible in journals that cover a wider range of topics because of the expertise of the authors, editorial board, and reviewers involved in the process. Moreover, we have begun to publish special issues in JLP that highlight cutting-edge research on particular topics. We are scheduled to publish another special issue in 2017 on evidence-based treatments for Latinos that will present innovative work from leading researchers in the country.

JLP is committed to promoting and exploring the diversity within the Latina/o population with respect to national origin, generational status, gender, and sexual identity.

What challenges, if any, lie ahead for the field?

The current political climate and discourse represent very real challenges to this work. Research on disenfranchised and underrepresented groups is always challenging; the current sociopolitical context makes it even more so.

Nevertheless, it is critical that JLP and other journals continue to emphasize this type of research. By illuminating the experiences of Latina/os in the United States, JLP both advances our knowledge and gives voice to those who are traditionally ignored.

This is an important social justice role that occurs through the publication of high quality research that raises awareness of these issues to researchers, providers, policy makers, and the country at large.

Do you have plans for a special issue or changes to the editorial process? Are you making any changes?

Currently, we have one special issue in the works — Evidence-based treatment for Latinos that is scheduled for publication in 2017. In this issue, we will be highlighting work from several research teams that have systematically adapted therapeutic interventions to work more effectively with Latina/os.

Moving forward, we are looking forward to receiving proposals for special issues on a number of relevant topics, including innovative methods, gender and sexual minority mental health, and disparities in mental health and mental healthcare.

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