Dr. Johnny Andoh-Arthur

Johnny is a Senior Lecturer of Social and Community Psychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana. He researches mainly on mental and sexual health of men and young persons. He also has research and academic interests in health promotion, social cognition, culture and behaviour, community wellbeing, and qualitative research ethics (specifically in the area of accessing research participants in sensitive qualitative research). In the past few years, he has worked with colleagues in Ghana, Uganda, and Norway to explore suicide, religion, meaning-making, and mental health. He has a passion for translational research and implementation science, values interdisciplinary collaborations towards seeking contextually relevant solutions to social and human problems. He has over 30 publications in peer-reviewed journal articles, attended, and presented papers at scientific conferences and workshops in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Ghana, Nicaragua, Norway, South Africa, the United State of America (USA), and Uganda.

Dr. Andoh-Arthur obtained his Ph.D. Degree in Health Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway, but did some of his Ph.D. course work at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, and the University of Adger, Grimstad Campus, Norway. Prior to his Ph.D., he did a one-year course work on a Ph.D. Programme (Non-Governmental Organisations and Community Development) at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He obtained an MPhil Degree in Human Development (with specialization in Community Psychology) also from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. Prior to that program, he did a one-year course work on the MPhil Social Psychology programme at the Psychology Department of the University of Ghana. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with Political science (First Class Honors) from the University of Ghana. He is a Licensed Community Psychologist with the Ghana Psychological Council, and a Research Fellow with the Center for Suicide and Violence Research (CSVR), Ghana. He is a proud Viking and an Active Fellow of the Mensah-Sarbah Hall, and a Fellow Supervisor with the West Africa Genetic Medicine Center (WAGMC), University of Ghana. He is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA),International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP), International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP), Critical Suicidology Network (CritSui), and Ghana Psychological Association (GPA). He attended Aggrey Memorial Zion Secondary School, Cape Coast, trained as a Professional Teacher at the Wesley College, Kumasi, Ghana, and served as the President of the University of Ghana Association of Psychology Students (UNIGAPS) during his undergraduate days at the University of Ghana. 

Research Area(s)

• Suicidal behaviours: Prevention, Intervention, Postvention, Stigma, Decriminalisation.
• Culture, Religion, Meaning-making and Mental Health
• Social perception, representations, and Health
• Gender, Masculinities, Health intentions, and  Help-seeking 

Ongoing research.

• Suicidal Behaviours among Men in Ghana: The Cultural Paradoxes.
• Stigma, Violence Experience and Mental Wellbeing among COVID-19 Survivors in Ghana: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study. Funded by National Research Fund, South Africa
• Preventing student suicide in Ghana: A cross-sectional study of risk and protective factors among university students with policy implications. Funded by the BANGA II, University of Ghana
• Perception of Ghanaians in interpersonal relationships, economic and socio-political orientations, mental health symptoms and satisfaction with life
• Personhood in an African context: Funded by the Mellon Foundation
• Men’s Health Study.

Teaching

Current Courses Being Taught:

• PSYC 335: Developmental Psychology 1
• PSYC 448: Community Psychology
• PSYC 661: The Nature of Contemporary Issues in Social Psychology
• PSYC 632: Cognitive Development
• PSYC 705: Culture and Contemporary Psychology

Courses previously taught:

• PSYC 101: Elements of Psychology
• PSYC 102: Psychology for Everyday Living
• PSYC 223: Biological Psychology
• PSYC 638: Moral Development
• PSYC 633: Problems and Methods in Developmental Psychology

Selected Scientific Publications (Journal Articles, Book Chapters, Books )

Book Chapter

Andoh-Arthur, J. & Quarshie, E. N. B. (2021). Suicide attempt and ‘social suffering’: disrupting dangerous binary discourse and fostering kinship between the mental health and legal systems in Ghana. In H.C. O. Chan & Adjorlolo, S. (Eds). Mental Health & Criminal Justice System in Africa (1 ed., pp. 169-189). London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-71024-8_8.

Encyclopedia Entry

Andoh-Arthur, J. (2019). Gatekeepers in Qualitative Research. In P. Atkinson, S. Delamont, A.  Cernat, J. W. Sakshaug & R. A. Williams (Eds). SAGE Research Methods Foundations (EncyclopediaProject). Sage UK. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526421036854377.

Selected Journal Articles

Andoh-Arthur, J., & Adjorlolo, S. (2021). Macro-level mental health system indicators and cross-national suicide rates. Global Health Action, 14(1), https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2020.1839999

Quarshie, E, N-B., Asante, K. O., Andoh-Arthur, J., Akotia, C. S., & Osafo, J. (2021). To keep the law or to repeal It: Views of parliamentarians on the call to decriminalise attempted suicide in Ghana. Omega – Journal of Death and Dying, https://doi.org/10.1177%2F00302228211066683

Quarshie, E. N. B., Asante, K. O., Andoh-Arthur, J., Asare-Doku, W., & Navelle, P. L. (2021). Suicide attempts and deaths in older persons in Ghana: A media surveillance approach. Current Psychology, 40(1), 292-305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9932-5 

Knizek, B. L., Andoh-Arthur, J., Osafo, J., Mugisha, J., Kinyanda, E., Akotia, C.  (2021). Religion as meaning-making resource in understanding suicidal behavior in Ghana and Uganda. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 549404.   https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.549404

Andoh-Arthur, J., Hjelmeland, H., Osafo, J., & Knizek, B. L. (2020). Substance use and suicide among men in Ghana: A qualitative study. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00644-0

Osafo, J., & Andoh-Arthur, J. (2020). Inter-sectoral management of suicidal persons in Ghana: Tensions and prospects. Community Ment Health J, 57  (6),  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00717-1

Osafo, J., & Andoh-Arthur, J. (2020). Engaging television for public education and counselling on suicide: a case example from Ghana. Int J Adv Counselling 42,  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-020-09398-7

Lartey, J. K. S., Osafo, J., Andoh-Arthur, J., & Asante, K. O. (2020). Emotional experiences and coping strategies of nursing and midwifery practitioners in Ghana: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 19(1), 1-12.  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-   020-00484-0

Asante, K. O, Quarshie, E. N. B., & Andoh-Arthur, J. (2020). COVID-19 school closure and adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020973684

Asante, K. O., Nketiah- Amponsah, E., Andoh-Arthur, J., & Ampah, S. (2020). The interactive effect of gender, residence, and socioeconomic status on early sexual debut among sexually active young adults in Ghana. Journal of Public Health1-8.         https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-020-01285-   0

Andoh-Arthur, J, Knizek, B. L., Osafo, J., & Hjelmeland, H. (2019). Societal Reactions to suicides in Ghana: A qualitative study. Crisis: Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, 41, 128–134. doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000618

 Andoh-Arthur, J., Knizek, B. L., Osafo, J., & Hjelmeland, B. L. (2018). Suicide among men in Ghana: The burden of Masculinity. Death Studies, 42(10), 658–666.doi:10.1080/07481187.20181426655.

Andoh-Arthur, J., Hjelmeland, H., Osafo, J., & Knizek, B. L. (2017). ‘Walking a tightrope’: Reflections on police gatekeeping in suicide research in Ghana. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 21(3) 289-301 doi:   10.1080/13645579.2017.1381820.

Andoh‐Arthur, J., Asante, K. O., & Osafo, J. (2015). Determinants of psychological help‐seeking intentions of university students in Ghana. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 37(4), 330–345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-015- 9247-2

Conference Proceedings

Andoh-Arthur, J. (2020, August). COVID-19 before, during, and after The role of Community Psychologist in Ghana. 5th Annual Conference of the Ghana Psychological Association. University of Ghana, Legon. Ghana

Andoh-Arthur, J., Hjelmeland, H., Osafo, J., & Knizek, B. L. (2017, February). Reflexivity on Gatekeeper Roles: A quality criterion in qualitative research? Paper presented at the 1st European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, Leuven, Belgium 

Akotia, C.S., Osafo, J., Quarshie, E. N. B., Andoh-Arthur, J., & Boakye, K.E. (2016, May). To Arrest or to Help: Police views of suicidal persons and the law in Ghana. Paper presented at the International Conference on Community Psychology(ICCP), Durban, South Africa. http://iccp2016.co.za/programme/ICCP2016conferenceprogramme.pdf

Osafo, J., Akotia, C.S., Andoh-Arthur, J., Quarshie, E. N. B. & Boakye, K.E. (2016, May). Between legal ethics and empathy: the views of lawyers and judges on criminalizing attempted suicide in Ghana. Paper presented at the International Conference on Community Psychology (ICCP), Durban, South   Africa. http://iccp2016.co.za/programme/ICCP2016conferenceprogramme.pdf

Andoh-Arthur, J; Knizek, B. L; Hjelmeland, H., & Osafo, J., (2016). Access dilemma in suicide research: The empowering role of formal system engagement on suicide survivors. Paper Presented at the 1st Conference on Critical Suicidology, Prague, Czech, Republic

Andoh-Arthur, J. Hjelmeland, H., Osafo, J., & Knizek, B. L. (2015). Ethics of police involvement in human science research. Paper presented at the 34th International   Human Science Research Conference: NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.

Andoh-Arthur, J. (2013, October). Community belongingness in a changing socio-cultural milieu: a qualitative study of adolescents’ perception of psychological sense of community in Ghana. Paper presented at the 3rd Psychology and Psychiatry Conference. Great Hall. University of Ghana, Legon.

Andoh-Arthur, J. (2011, May). Participant: 6th International conference on interdisciplinary Social Science. University of New Orleans, Louisiana, United State of America (USA)

Andoh-Arthur, J. (2010, November). Perception of Psychological Sense of community among adolescents in Ghana. Paper presented at the 12th Social and Community Psychology Conference at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.

Extension Activity

Dr. Andoh-Arthur's extension services are mostly in psychoeducation within communities and in the media on mental and sexual health. He actively engages in public advocacy towards the celebration of diversity, enhancing social equity and justice, and commit to promoting responsible leadership and good citizenship behaviours (with emphasis on deepening psychological sense of community). He acts as a Patron for a number of youth-based groups both within and outside Ghana and operates an NGO called Community and Life Empowerment Advocacy Network, Ghana (CLEAN-GH). This NGO is committed to building a wider network of passionate young persons who will ‘transcend the self’ to advocate for and support persons in distresses. He also runs a Consultancy LogoPsyk Consult that uses mainly the conceptual tools of Franklian Logotherapy to help individuals, groups, and organizations to derive meaning from and grow through adversities. He consults for and serves on the Boards of a number of NGOs dedicated to community mental health.

Dr. Andoh-Arthur is an Associate Editor for BMC Public Health (mental health), Journal of Death Studies, Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention (CRISIS), and Cogent Social Science Journal. He is also an Ad-hoc Peer Reviewer for some key journals in the area of mental health, suicide, and suicide prevention including Death Studies, CRISIS, BMC Public Health, BMC Psychiatry, Journal of Law and Psychiatry, International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, Plos One, SSM-Population Health, SN- Social Sciences, International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being.