Martha E. Bernal

Martha E. Bernal (April 13, 1931 – September 28, 2001) was an American clinical psychologist. She made history as the first Hispanic woman to earn a doctorate in psychology in the United States. Bernal completed her doctoral studies at Indiana University Bloomington in 1962, a achievement that opened new doors for many people to come.

Her work helped children who had trouble behaving well. Bernal also worked hard to support people from different backgrounds, making sure everyone had a chance to get the help they needed. Her life and work continue to inspire many, especially young people who dream of becoming psychologists or making a difference in the world.

Childhood

Martha E. Bernal was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1931 to Mexican immigrants. She grew up surrounded by Mexican culture and learned what it meant to be both Mexican and American. At first, her father, Enrique de Bernal, did not want her to go to college because he thought it was not needed for women. However, with the help of her older sister, Cristina, and her mother, Alicia, her father changed his mind when he saw how serious Martha was about her education.

Education

Martha Bernal started school in 1937 when students were not allowed to speak Spanish. She and her sisters were also discouraged from taking advanced classes, which made her feel ashamed of her background and language.

In 1952, Bernal earned a bachelor's degree from Texas Western College, now known as the University of Texas at El Paso. She later got a Master of Arts from Syracuse University in 1955. At Indiana University, she faced unfair treatment because she was a woman. However, a teacher named Harry Yamaguchi encouraged her to continue, and with support from other teachers including Roland C. Davis, Arnold Binder, and Leon, she earned her doctorate in psychology in 1962. This was a big achievement, as very few Hispanic individuals earned doctorates at that time.

Work

After earning her doctoral degree from Indiana University Bloomington in 1962, Bernal tried to find jobs as a teacher but was unable to get one. She then received a U.S. Public Health Service Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCLA and spent two years conducting research. Later, she joined Arizona State University where she studied how Mexican American children develop their sense of identity.

During her time there, Bernal became interested in helping children who struggled with behavior problems. She focused on teaching parents new ways to respond to their children’s actions, believing that these behaviors were learned from their surroundings rather than inherited. Her work helped show that behavioral support for children could be effective over time. She also created a tool called the Ethnic Identity Questionnaire to better understand how Mexican American children develop their ethnic identity. From 1964 to 1971, she worked at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute, and then continued her important research at the University of Denver from 1971 to 1986. Her methods included giving parents lesson plans to guide them in supporting their children’s behavior.

Legacy

Dr. Martha Bernal worked hard to make sure that people from all backgrounds could get help from psychologists. She showed that there were not enough classes or teachers who looked like the people they were helping. She spoke up about needing more teachers and students from different cultures in psychology.

Dr. Bernal received many awards for her important work. She helped create groups to support people from different backgrounds in psychology. She also taught many students and helped them succeed. Because of her, there are now scholarships to help minority students, especially women, pay for their education. On April 13, 2024, a Google Doodle celebrated her 93rd birthday.

Death

In her later years, Bernal faced health challenges and had to stop some of her work. She stayed involved in important projects helping people from different backgrounds until her passing. She lived to be 70 years old and passed away on September 28, 2001.