Asian Americans’ mental health help-seeking attitudes: The relative and unique roles of cultural values and ethnic identity.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehwish Shahid ◽  
Nicole H. Weiss ◽  
Gary Stoner ◽  
Bryan Dewsbury
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Help Seeking Attitudes

Short-Term Changes in Internalizing Symptoms and Help-Seeking Attitudes During the Coronavirus Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 448-480
Author(s):  
P. Priscilla Lui ◽  
Shefali Katedia ◽  
Savannah Pham ◽  
Westley Giadolor ◽  
Sarah Gobrial ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Internalizing Symptoms ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Professional Help ◽  
Help Seeking Attitudes ◽  
General Decline

Introduction: Existing data suggest that American adults experience added emotional difficulties amid the coronavirus disease outbreak. Psychotherapy can help mitigate mental health concerns; still, many individuals with unmet mental health needs refrain from professional help-seeking. According to theory of reasoned action, negative help-seeking attitudes are key barriers to engagement with mental health services. Given that individuals with severe distress are more likely to seek therapy than individuals with mild psychopathology symptoms, greater initial and increasing levels of internalizing symptoms amid the coronavirus outbreak likely are linked to increasingly favorable attitudes toward professional help-seeking. Method: In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, American community adults, N = 831 [49.0% Asian Americans], Mage = 46.78, 50.2% women, were recruited for a panel survey study conducted over the course of three weeks. At each time point, participants completed questionnaires to assess their internalizing symptoms associated with depression and anxiety as well as their openness to and perceived value/need in treatment seeking. Results: Very few participants—especially Asian Americans —were seeking counseling during the study period. Latent growth curve results showed a general decline in internalizing symptoms, and no changes in openness to and perceived need in professional help-seeking. Whereas there were no time-varying correlations between internalizing symptoms and help-seeking attitudes, individuals with greater baseline internalizing symptoms generally were more open to seeking professional help and perceived less value in mental health services. Sensitivity analyses showed patterns in the Asian American subsample similar to those in the overall sample. Discussion: Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Inclusiveness of the Concept of Mental Disorder and Differences in Help-Seeking Between Asian and White Americans

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse S. Y. Tse ◽  
Nick Haslam
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Clinical Practices ◽  
Help Seeking Attitudes

Ethnic and racial group differences in help-seeking are a barrier to the effective and equitable delivery of mental health services. Asian American populations demonstrate relatively low levels of help-seeking. Explanations for this effect typically point to elevated levels of stigma in these populations. An alternative explanation is that low help-seeking might also reflect holding a relatively circumscribed concept of mental disorder. Individuals and groups with less inclusive concepts of disorder may be less likely to identify problems as appropriate for mental health treatment. This study aimed to test whether group differences in the breadth of the mental disorder concept account for group differences in help-seeking attitudes. A sample of 212 American participants (102 Asian Americans and 110 White Americans) were assessed on personal stigma, help-seeking attitudes, and mental disorder concept breadth. Mediation analyses examined whether stigma and concept breadth mediated group differences in attitudes. Compared to White Americans, Asian Americans reported higher levels of stigma and narrower concepts of mental disorder, both of which were associated with less positive help-seeking attitudes. Stigma and concept breadth both partially mediated the group difference in attitudes. Theoretical and practical implications for mental health promotion and culturally sensitive clinical practices are explored.

Cultural Values Influence Mental-Health Help-Seeking in Asian and Latinx College Students

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elayne Zhou ◽  
Yena Kyeong ◽  
Cecilia Cheung ◽  
Kalina Michalska;Michalska
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviors ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Ethnic Group Membership

The current study examined the influence of cultural values on mental health attitudes and help-seeking behaviors in college students of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Asian and Latinx college students (N = 159) completed an online survey in which they reported their adherence to cultural values and general attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behavior. Factor analysis revealed two common factors of cultural values irrespective of ethnic background: Interdependent Orientation (IO) and Cultural Obligation (CO). Regardless of ethnicity, the more students endorsed IO values, the less likely they were to perceive a need for mental health treatment. IO value adherence also predicted more negative attitudes towards mental health. CO values were not predictive of perceived need or help-seeking behaviors. Findings highlight the importance of assessing certain cultural values independently from ethnicity and considering how the multidimensionality of culture may help explain shared mental health behaviors across ethnic group membership.

The Influence of Social Support, Help-Seeking Attitudes and Help-Seeking Intentions on Older Australians’ use of Mental Health Services for Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

2021 ◽  
pp. 009141502110508
Author(s):  
Susan Jane Bretherton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Service Use ◽  
Health Service Use ◽  
Help Seeking Attitudes

This study investigated the influence of predisposing factors (social support, help-seeking attitudes and help-seeking intentions) on older Australian adults’ use of mental health services for depression and/or anxiety symptoms. Participants were 214 older Australian adults (61% female; aged between 60 and 96 years; M  =  75.15 years, SD  =  8.40 years) who completed a self-report questionnaire that measured predisposing factors and lifetime mental health service use for depression and/or anxiety symptoms. Higher levels of social support predicted non-use of mental health services. When this relationship was serially mediated by help-seeking attitudes and help-seeking intentions, it predicted mental health service use for depression and/or anxiety. Older adults are less likely to seek help for depression and/or anxiety symptoms unless members of their social support network encourage positive help-seeking attitudes, which lead to positive help-seeking intentions and the subsequent use of mental health services.

“Sincerely Held Principles” or Prejudice? The Tennessee Counseling Discrimination Law

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick R. Grzanka ◽  
Elliot S. Spengler ◽  
Joseph R. Miles ◽  
Keri A. Frantell ◽  
Elliott N. DeVore
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Care Ethics ◽  
Health Care Ethics ◽  
Help Seeking Attitudes ◽  
Statewide Assessment ◽  
The Law

In 2016, Tennessee became the first state to allow counselors and therapists in private practice to deny services to any client based on the therapist’s sincerely held principles. The law’s proponents framed mental health care ethics as infringing on counselors’ religious liberties; its critics denounced the bill because it apparently targeted LGBT+ individuals. This exploratory study is the first statewide assessment of LGBT+ Tennesseans’ ( N = 346) perceptions of the law and how it may affect their help-seeking attitudes and behaviors. Evidence suggests widespread awareness of the law among our respondents and deep skepticism toward mental health care. Further, most respondents view the law as cover for discrimination. We stress the need for broader research on conscience clauses and call for advocacy against these laws, which have the potential to engender widespread harm to multiple minority groups.

scholarly journals Using Korean Dramas as a Precision Mental Health Education Tool for Asian Americans: A Pilot Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 2151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Van My Ta Park ◽  
R. Henry Olaisen ◽  
Quyen Vuong ◽  
Lisa G. Rosas ◽  
Mildred K. Cho
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Genetic Testing ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Educational Tool ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Education Tool

Precision mental health (MH) holds great potential for revolutionizing MH care and reducing the burden of mental illness. Efforts to engage Asian Americans in precision MH research is necessary to help reduce MH disparities. Korean drama (“K-drama”) television shows may be an effective educational tool to increase precision MH knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) among Asian Americans. This study determined whether KAB improved after participating in a K-drama precision MH workshop, and examined the participants’ perspectives about K-dramas’ utility as an educational tool. A K-drama precision MH workshop in English/Vietnamese/Korean was conducted with a convenience sample (n = 122). Pre-/post-tests on precision MH KAB (genetics and genetic testing, and MH and help-seeking) and a survey on K-dramas’ utility as an educational tool were administered. Findings revealed a significant difference in the pre- and post-test KAB scores overall, by genetics and genetic testing, and by MH and help-seeking. There were also significant increases in the overall post-test KAB scores by workshop (language) participation. Overall, participants responded positively on the utility of K-dramas as a precision MH educational tool. This study demonstrates the feasibility of K-drama as an innovative and widely available health education tool to educate communities about precision MH.

Concerns about Suicide among Asian Americans: The Need for Outreach?

Social Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-122
Author(s):  
Carol A Leung
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Point Rating Scale

Abstract Suicide was the ninth leading cause of death for Asian Americans in 2017. The growth of Asian American populations has led to more discussions about suicide prevention efforts. A 128-item needs assessment survey was administered at cultural events in 10 predominantly immigrant Asian communities. In five years, 1,840 respondents (61 percent response rate) filled out the survey anonymously to express their health and mental health concerns. This study aims to identify factors and help-seeking behaviors associated with having suicidal concerns among Asian Americans in various subgroups. Among the respondents, 1,314 rated the intensity of their concerns about suicide with an average of 0.74 (SD = 1.11) on a four-point rating scale in that 13.7 percent rated their concerns as severe. Taiwanese respondents expressed the highest intensity score (1.09) compared with other ethnic groups (from 0.29 to 1.04). A logistic regression analysis found that each unit of health concerns on a four-point rating scale significantly increases the likelihood of suicide concerns by 46 times among Asian Americans. Consistent with previous studies, immigrants were likely to share mental health problems with friends and physicians. Effective suicide prevention requires mental health awareness programming for the Asian American community.

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