The Application of 4E Cognition to Counseling and the Intersectional Experiences of Black Individuals With Disabilities

Abstract

Black Americans with disabilities experience a range of inequities including barriers to access, social stigmatization, and health outcomes that are greater than both their White and their nondisabled peers. This conceptual article explains in detail these inequities. The authors provide an overview of the existing models of disability used in counseling, healthcare, research, and educational settings, as well as a rationale for why they are limited. The authors then suggest a 4E cognitive framework rooted in cognitive sciences, philosophy of mind, and neuroscience. The authors explain why a 4E cognitive framework may be better suited than existing models to conceptualize the experiences of Black Americans with disabilities. Finally, the authors provide implications of the usage of this model for counseling, counseling research, and counseling education.