

Grant J. Rich
Grant J. Rich received his Ph.D. in Psychology: Human Development from the University of Chicago. His work focuses on optimal cross-cultural human development, international psychology, mixed methods, and integrating traditional and contemporary healing modalities. He has twenty years of experience teaching math, research methods, and psychology courses to both undergraduate and doctoral students.
Dr. Rich is senior editor of eight books, including “Pathfinders in International Psychology” (2015), "Internationalizing the Teaching of Psychology" (2017), "Human Strengths and Resilience: Developmental, Cross-Cultural, and International Perspectives" (2018), and "Teaching Psychology Around the World" (2018) volume 4. In addition, he authored a 110 page textbook supplement for a best-selling text on Abnormal Psychology for Allyn & Bacon. He also is lead editor of several additional books: "Teaching Psychology Around the World" (2020) volume 5, "Psychology in Southeast Asia: Sociocultural, Clinical and Health Perspectives" (Routledge, 2020), and "Psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean" (Springer, 2022). Additionally, for 2022-2023, he has two books in contract: a sole authored book ("Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth: Cross-Cultural and Developmental Perspectives") as well as a coedited book (“Coming to the USA: Psychosocial Experiences and Adjustment of Migrants” Elsevier). Recently, he has coauthored research in APA's The Humanistic Psychologist journal (2021) with Dr. Louise Sundararajan, chair of APA's Task Force on Indigenous Psychology, utilizing quantitative and qualitative data from several Asian nations. He was editor of APA Division 52’s International Psychology Bulletin (2010-2014) and received the President’s Award for Extraordinary Service: APA Division of International Psychology (2014). He was a National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute Fellow (in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, and in the Tropical Atlantic) and received the Academic Service Award, American University of Phnom Penh (2014). For 2023, Dr. Rich is President-Elect of APA’s Society for Media Psychology and Technology.
A Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), the American Psychological Association (APA), the Division of International Psychology, the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, the Society for Peace, Conflict, and Violence, and the Society for Media Psychology and Technology, Dr. Rich has taught at institutions around the globe, recently in Alaska (UAS Juneau campus, 2006-2011), Cambodia (AUPP, 2014), and India (Ashoka U., 2016). He has also served on the faculty of the Ohio State University. Since 2013, he has served on the faculty of Walden University, where he is Senior Contributing Faculty. He has authored over 75 peer reviewed articles and book chapters, as well as nearly one hundred reviews, and has presented at numerous international conferences ranging from Africa and Europe to Mexico and the Caribbean to the Middle East. He has published articles in the Journal of Positive Psychology (2016), the Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2017), and the American Psychologist (2016). A board certified massage therapist (NCBTMB), he is editor of the academic book of quantitative research "Massage Therapy: The Evidence for Practice" (Elsevier, 2002) and served a term as National Board Member of the NCBTMB (2018-2019). A licensed social worker, he has served on medical missions internationally and traveled to over thirty nations. In additional to his professional work, Dr. Rich has an abiding interest in archaeology, taking him from Butrint to Becán to Banteay Srei, Cahokia to Caral to Knossos, Stonehenge to Sigatoka to the Singapore Stone to the Serpent Mound, Petra to Preah Vihear, Teotihuacán to Tikal, and beyond. Dr. Rich resides in Juneau, Alaska where, since 2017, he is a full-time research analyst with the State of Alaska Division of Behavioral Health.
Praise for Books by Dr. Rich:
"As a long-time international psychologist myself, I see this bold new volume as a great leap forward for international psychology. The 73 distinguished contributors and editors from 21 countries have carefully crafted a handbook that will be the go-to resource on the topic for years to come. For psychology to continue to be relevant in the 21st century it must become more international; I am grateful this book will help us accomplish this challenging but rewarding goal."
–Philip G. Zimbardo, Ph.D. Past-President American Psychological Association, Professor Emeritus Stanford University
"This is a brilliant, unprecedented collection of international scholarship that every psychology professor and student should read. The 21st century in the teaching of psychology has truly arrived with this book, creating a thoroughly needed international focus for our pedagogy."
–Frank Farley, Ph.D., L. H. Carnell Professor, Temple University; Former President, American Psychological Association (APA), International Council of Psychologists, American Educational Research Association (AERA), and the Society for International Psychology (Division 52 of APA)
"This book volume is seminal in addressing the teaching of psychology as an intercultural science. It is unparalleled in its scope and diversity, presenting regional variations in psychology curriculum development emphasis, as well as emerging approaches to teaching for psychological literacy, approaches to learning and professional practice. This book is both timely and significant in adding to the growing volume of scholarship in international psychology, which is the cradle for the development of psychological sciences of the future. Users of this book volume will be inspired by its freshness in perspectives and invitational approach to evolving pedagogies in the psychological sciences."
–Elias Mpofu, PhD, DEd, CRC, Professor of Health Services Research at the University of North Texas, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Educational Psychology and Inclusive Education at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa and Honorary Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney, Australia
"Drs. Grant Rich and Jill Sirikantraporn are bona fide experts on resilience who have brought together a remarkable team to present their unique work about resilience from a strengths perspective."
–Danny Wedding, PhD, editor of PsycCRITIQUES, co-editor of Handbook of International Psychology, and former president of American Psychological Association International Division
"This is a needed global book in our age of globalization. The collection of contributions from international experts is cross-cultural in the best sense of the term, providing new contributions to empirical research, theory development, and practice. Practitioners as well as researchers in many fields will find it a valuable addition to the literature on post-traumatic growth and resilience."
–Fathali M. Moghaddam, PhD, Georgetown University
"Anyone interested in knowing more about massage research today and the potential of therapeutic massage will want to read this book."
–Elliot Greene MA NCTMB, Past President, American Massage Therapy Association
"As the world becomes smaller with each passing day, this latest book of Dr. Rich and his colleagues is a global distillation of the wonderfully diverse approaches to psychology pedagogy. It is as inclusive in countries as it is diverse in approaches—linguistics, indigenous populations, liberation, and perhaps most refreshingly, perspectives beyond the western hegemony that can often be overwhelming, biased, and a poor generalization to others. The diversity of approaches, perspectives and voices is rare to be collected in such a singular volume. Bravo!"
–Dr. Chris Stout, American Psychological Association International Humanitarian Award Winner and Past Chief Information Officer for the State of Illinois Division of Mental Health
"Having worked very closely with refugees from Southeast Asia for more than 10 years, and witnessed how they started with nothing and became established as business people or professionals in Canada in 20 years, I know that they have much to teach people in the West about the cultural source of their resilience and success. That is why I believe that Psychology in Southeast Asia fills a major gap in the literature regarding the vital role of culture-specific beliefs, values, rituals and social structures for clinical psychology, health psychology and positive psychology. I highly recommend this book for both researchers and practitioners."
–Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D., President of the International Network on Personal Meaning (www.meaning.ca), Professor Emeritus, Trent University
“Some 650 million persons reside in Southeast Asia. This pioneering volume discusses innovative psychological research conducted in 9 ASEAN countries and helps us to understand better what culturally varied lives these people lead. There is no other book like it.”
–Uwe P. Gielen, Ph.D., Past President, Society for Cross-Cultural Research (SCCR); Past President International Council of Psychologists (ICP); Past President American Psychological Association, International Division; Professor Emeritus, St. Francis College
"For many years, cross-cultural psychologists have pointed to the Eurocentric bias in Psychology. Henrich, Heine and Norenzayan provided strong empirical evidence of this bias when they demonstrated that much of psychological science is based primarily on samples from Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democracies (WEIRD). In this pioneering volume on Psychology in Southeast Asia, Rich, Jaafar and Barron have provided a significant contribution to counter this WEIRD science. In this timely book, the authors cover the significant psychological theories and research from 9 of the 10 ASEAN countries. It provides an enlightening overview of the people of Southeast Asia beyond the stereotypes engendered by the Vietnam war or the 1MDB scandal in Malaysia. I highly recommend it to scholars and individuals interested in understanding Southeast-Asian psychology from indigenous perspectives."
–Frederick Leong, PhD, Director of the Consortium for Multicultural Psychology Research, Michigan State University; Past President, Asian American Psychological Association; Past President, APA’s Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues), Founding Editor APA’s Asian American Journal of Psychology
"Teaching Psychology around the World (Volume 5) provides an excellent global and diverse perspective of how psychology is taught throughout the world. It reinforces the importance of context, with many of the chapters setting psychology in a historical and social context—which influenced how the teaching of psychology developed. Kudos to the authors for including topics of teaching resilience, decolonizing teaching, and exposure to indigenous knowledge—reflecting a more inclusive perspective of psychology, and recognizing marginalized communities needing to be heard in the mainstream."
–Jean Lau Chin, ED.D., ABPP, Past-President, International Council of Psychologists, Past-President, APA Division 52 (International), Professor, Adelphi University
Honorary Professor, University of Sydney, Australia, APA Presidential Candidate in 2020
"This book will serve as a respected and valued resource for globalizing psychology and establishing a more nuanced understanding of human behavior. I strongly recommend this fifth volume as an exceptional learning tool for all readers who yearn to adopt a broader worldview of psychology."
–Florence L. Denmark, PhD, Past President, American Psychological Association
Praise for the book Psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean (Rich & Ramkumar, 2022)
"Chock full of expert knowledge and insights, Psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean is an indispensable resource for psychologists. A must-read that will expand your understanding of life in these regions and beyond!"
–Pamela A. Hays, PhD, Author of Addressing Cultural Complexities in Practice
"This collection of articles for Oceania and the Caribbean provides an eye-opener to the wonderfully diverse approaches to Psychology pedagogy in these two regions. We are indeed proud as a regional University to witness such commitment to brilliantly researched and written pieces providing deep insights into mental health and cultural complexities that have shaped and evolved thinking in this dynamic world we live in, particularly in Oceania"
–Professor Pal Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of the South Pacific.
"This monumental volume represents a giant step towards the goal of a truly global psychology that is representative, contextualized, and de-colonized. By providing incisive summaries of the state of the field across a dizzying array of countries in the Caribbean and Oceania, each chapter, written by expert local and transnational psychologists, puts indigenous psychology on spectacular display. Readers will witness a stunning diversity in contextual influences on psychological experience – cultural, historical, sociopolitical, geographic, and climatoeconomic – while appreciating the shared strengths, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for the development of a rapidly burgeoning psychology across these two world regions. This book is recommended reading for all psychologists and psychologists in training worldwide and will be particularly indispensable for those interested in chronicling the unfolding history of our field throughout the 21st Century."
–Gail M. Ferguson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota; Former Outstanding Early Career International Psychologist, American Psychological Association (Div 52); Editorial Board Member, Caribbean Journal of Psychology
"This is a breath-taking book in its coverage of the uniquely endowed psychology worlds of Oceania and the Caribbean. Now that Dr. Grant Rich, Dr. Neeta Ramkumar, and colleagues have produced this awesome book volume on the cultural psychology of the rim water nations, I have a palpable sense of relief from their having addressed a huge gap in cultural psychology scholarship. This volume opens hitherto undreamed of opportunities for further studies on cultural practices in psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean!"
–Elias Mpofu, PhD, DE.D, CRC, MAPS, Professor of Health Sciences at the University of North Texas, Carnegie Foundation Visiting Professor, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, Honorary Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney and Executive Board member of the Australian Psychological Society’s Rehabilitation Psychology Interest Group
"The encapsulating authors, Dr. Grant J. Rich, Dr. Neeta A. Ramkumar and colleagues, of this book, take you on an outstanding journey of what is occurring in cultural psychology in the 21st century. It addresses the abundance of each nation through a transformational lens of current practices in psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone interested in sailing the high seas connecting the present with the endless possibilities of those who dare to journey into the waters of a divine future."
–Florence Denmark, Past-President, American Psychological Association
"This book represents a vital exploration into the purpose and practice of Psychology in island nations. It is a welcome compilation of academic writings from sociocultural perspectives within Oceania and the Caribbean and serves as a landmark account of the unique forces shaping the development and evolution of Psychology in these states."
–Gerard Hutchinson MD, Professor of Psychiatry, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
Sample overall average teaching evaluations per course for Dr. Rich:
Rich did a good job overall 4/4 U. Alaska Southeast (PSY 397) Biological Psychology
Rich did a good job overall 3.8/4 U. Alaska Southeast (PSY 245) Child Development
Rich did a good job overall 4/4 U. Alaska Southeast (PSY 375) Positive Psychology
The instructor’s overall teaching was: 4.4/5 American University of Phnom Penh (Math Modeling) 2014
The instructor’s overall teaching was: 4.3/5 American University of Phnom Penh (Math Modeling) 2014
The instructor’s overall teaching was: 4.5/5 American University of Phnom Penh (Psychology) 2014
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.6/5 for Walden University (Lifespan Development) Spring 2014
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.88/5 for Walden University (Lifespan Development) Summer ‘13
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.83/5 for Walden University (Lifespan Development) Winter 2014
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Lifespan Development) Winter 2015
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Research Classroom Course) SP 2015
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.5/5 for Walden University (Human Motivation) Summer 2015
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Research Classroom Course) Sum. 2015
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.64/5 for Walden University (Human Motivation) Winter 2016
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.78/5 for Walden University (Human Motivation) Spring 2016
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Research Classroom Course) SP 2016
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Human Motivation) Summer 2016
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Research Classroom Course)
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.63/5 for Walden University (Lifespan Development) Spring 2017
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.6/5 for Walden University (Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma) Autumn 2018
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Psychology of Terrorism) Spring 2019
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.6/5 for Walden University (Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma) SP2020
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Culture and Psychology) SP2020
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.67/5 for Walden University (Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma) SU2020
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.86/5 for Walden University (Culture and Psychology) SU2020
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma) Autumn 2020
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.5/5 for Walden University (Culture and Psychology) Autumn 2020
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.5/5 for Walden University (Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma) Winter 2021
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.6/5 for Walden University (Culture and Psychology) Winter 2021
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Culture and Psychology) Spring 2021
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Culture and Psychology) Summer 2021
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.83/5 for Walden University (Lifespan Development) AU 2021
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.8/5 for Walden University (Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma) AU 2021
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.55/5 for Walden University (Culture and Psychology) Winter 2022
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 5/5 for Walden University (Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma) Winter 2022
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.5/5 for Walden University (Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma) SP 2022
“Overall satisfaction with instructor” 4.8/5 for Walden University (Culture and Psychology) Spring 2022
Overall rating 4.8/5 The Ohio State University (PSY 100) Introduction to Psychology 2000
Overall rating 4.7/5 The Ohio State University (PSY 375) Stereotyping and Prejudice 2000
Primary Interests:
- Culture and Ethnicity
- Emotion, Mood, Affect
- Health Psychology
- Internet and Virtual Psychology
- Life Satisfaction, Well-Being
- Motivation, Goal Setting
- Personality, Individual Differences
- Political Psychology
- Research Methods, Assessment
- Self and Identity
Note from the Network: The holder of this profile has certified having all necessary rights, licenses, and authorization to post the files listed below. Visitors are welcome to copy or use any files for noncommercial or journalistic purposes provided they credit the profile holder and cite this page as the source.
Other Files
- Psychology on Southeast Asia
- Psychology on Southeast Asia
- Pathfinders in International Psychology book (Rich & Gielen, 2015) flyer
- Internationalizing the Teaching of Psychology book (Rich, Gielen, & Takooshian, 2017) flyer
- Flyer Rich & Sirikantrporn 2017 Human Strengths and Resilience
- TPAW5 Rich 2020 Flyer
- TPAW5 Rich 2020 Flyer
- Psychology on Southeast Asia
Books:
- Rich, G. (2000). Supplement for Holmes’ Abnormal psychology. Allyn and Bacon. 110 pages.
- Rich, G. (Ed.). (2002). Massage therapy: The evidence for practice. New York: Mosby/Elsevier. 212 pages.
- Rich, G., & Gielen, U. (Eds.). (2015). Pathfinders in international psychology. (foreword by Florence Denmark. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. 278 pages.
- Rich, G., Gielen, U., & Takooshian, H. (Eds.). (2017). Internationalizing the teaching of psychology. (forewords by Jaan Valsiner, David Myers, and Saths Cooper). Charlotte, NC: IAP- Information Age Publishing. 484 pages.
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Rich, G., Jaafar, J., & Barron, D. (Eds.). (2020). Psychology in Southeast Asia: Sociocultural, clinical, and health perspectives. New York, NY: Routledge.
- Linked file: Psychology on Southeast Asia
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Rich,G., Padilla-Lopez, A., Ebersohn, L., Taylor, J., & Morrissey, S. (Eds.). (2020). Teaching psychology around the world (Volume 5). Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
- Linked image: TPAW5 Rich 2020 Cover
- Linked file: TPAW5 Rich 2020 Flyer
- Rich, G., Padilla-Lopez, A., de Souza, L. K., Zinkiewicz, L., Taylor, J., & Jaafar, J. L. (Eds.). (2018). Teaching psychology around the world (Volume 4). Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 499 pages.
- Rich, G., & Sirikantraporn, J. (Eds.). (2018). Human strengths and resilience: Developmental, cross-cultural, and international perspectives (foreword by Chris Stout). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. 238 pages.
Journal Articles:
- Gielen, U., Rich, G., & Sirikantraporn, J. (2018, January). Working across generations to promote international collaboration. APA’s Psychology International. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/international/pi/2018/01/place-generation.aspx
- Hymel, G., & Rich, G. (2014). Health psychology as a context for massage therapy. Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies, 18(2), 174-182. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2013.07.001
- Rich, G. (2017). Positive psychology and humanistic psychology: Evil twins, sibling rivals, distant cousins or something else? Journal of Humanistic Psychology. DOI: 10.1177/0022167817698820
- Rich, G. (2016). The promise of qualitative inquiry for positive psychology: Diversifying methods. Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3), 220-231. DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2016.1225119
- Rich, G. (2011). Teaching tools for positive psychology: A comparison of available textbooks. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(6), 492-498. DOI:10.1080/17439760.2011.634824
- Rich, G. (2010). Massage therapy: Significance and relevance to professional practice. APA’s Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 41(4), 325-332. DOI: 10.1037/a0020161
- Takooshian, H., Gielen, U., Plous, S., Rich, G., & Velayo, R. (2016). Internationalizing undergraduate psychology education: Trends, techniques, and technologies. American Psychologist, 71(2), 136-147. DOI: 10.1037/a0039977
- Takooshian, H., Gielen, U., Rich, G., & Velayo, R. (2016). International psychology. Oxford Bibliographies. New York: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199828340-0184
- Sundararajan, L., Wu, M. S-T, Ho, W-T, Sun, J-C, Leung, C. P., & Rich, G., et al. (2020, in press). Expanding our kind: A pan-cultural study of the animistic principle of ontological parity: Taiwan, Indian, China, and the USA. APA's The Humanistic Psychologist.
Other Publications:
- Rich, G. (2020). Understanding massage therapy and bodywork: Research evidence, ethical guidelines, and practice. In C. L. Fracasso, S. Krippner, & H. L. Friedman (Eds.), Holistic treatment in mental health. Jefferson, NC: McFarland Publishing Company, Inc
- Rich, G. (2018). Foreword to N. Ferrara, In pursuit of impact: Trauma and resilience informed policy development. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Rowman.
- Rich, G. (2017). Resilient lives, optimizing challenges: Eminent elders meet adversity with identity flexibility. In J. Sinnott (Ed.), Identity flexibility during adulthood: Perspectives in adult development. New York, NY: Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-55658-1
- Rich, G. (2017). The impact of early multicultural experience on later creative leadership. In D. Halkias, J. Santora, & P. Thurman (Eds.), Leadership and change management: A cross-cultural perspective. New York: Routledge.
- Rich, G. (2017). Women in Belize. In C. Brown, U. Gielen, J. Gibbons, & J. Kuriansky (Eds.), Women's evolving lives: Global and psychosocial perspectives (pp. 239-256). New York, NY: Springer.
- Rich, G., & Gielen, U. (2018). Internationalizing our courses. In H. Takooshian, U. P. Gielen, F. L. Denmark, & A. M. O'Roark, (Eds.), Visions and Resources for international psychology: 75 years of the International Council of Psychologists (pp. 188-197).New York, NY: Global Scholarly Publications.
- Rich, G., & Sirikantraporn, J. (2020). Posttraumatic growth and resilience in Southeast Asia. In R. H. Hechanova & L. Waelde (Eds.), Resistance, resilience, and recovery from disasters: Perspectives from Southeast Asia. Emerald Publishing Ltd.
Courses Taught:
- Abnormal Psychology
- Child Development and Lifespan Development
- Clinical Psychology
- Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma
- Educational Psychology
- Health Psychology
- History of Psychology
- Human Motivation
- Introduction to Psychology
- Positive Psychology
- Research Methods
- Social Psychology
Grant J. Rich
P.O. Box 21551
Juneau, Alaska 99802
United States of America
- Mobile: (907) 723-2942