Predictors of treatment acceptability, willingness to see a counselor, and counselor preferences for asian-americans and whites: Acculturation, loss of face, self-construals, and collective self-esteem |
| Author: |
Chou,-Elayne-L
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| Author Background: |
The Ohio State U., US
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| Date |
3/2000
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| Type |
Dissertation
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| Journal Title: |
Dissertation-Abstracts-International:-Section-B:-The-Sciences-and-Engineering
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| Volume/Pages |
Vol 60(8-B): 4209
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| Publisher |
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| Subject Matter |
Asian Americans, Mental Health Use, Acculturation, Research
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| Population |
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| Pedagogies |
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| Abstract |
The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge regarding barriers to utilization of mental health services by Asian Americans through examining the influence of cultural factors on counseling variables with Asian American college students. Cultural/independent variables were level of acculturation, sensitivity to loss of face, independent versus interdependent construals of the self, and collective self-esteem. Counseling/dependent variables were treatment acceptability ratings for four types of treatments (individual cognitive-behavioral therapy, individual client-centered therapy, group therapy, and family systems therapy), ratings of willingness to see a counselor for relationship, academic/career, and substance abuse problems, and preferences for a counselor similar on demographic characteristics or on cognitive characteristics. It was hypothesized that between-groups comparisons on the three dependent variables would answer the question of whether these were barriers to utilization for Asian Americans, as compared to Whites. In addition, within-group comparisons were designed to address the question of how these barriers manifested for Asian Americans. Participants were 232 White students from a large midwestern university and 215 Asian American students from universities in the midwest and California. Asian Americans were defined as individuals of Asian or Pacific Islander descent who were either U.S. citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents at the time of participation in the study. Linear and multiple linear regression analyses were used to test hypotheses about the independent variables as predictors of each of the dependent variables. Support was provided for viewing treatment acceptability, willingness to see a counselor, and counselor preferences as barriers to utilization of mental health services for Asian Americans. However, no single cultural variable consistently predicted variance in all dependent variables. Acculturation was, surprisingly, not a strong predictor. Loss of face was a strong predictor only of counselor preferences. Both self-construal and collective self-esteem were fairly strong predictors. Results are discussed, implications for counselors are given, directions for future research are suggested, and limitations of the study are delineated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2000 APA, all rights reserved)
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