The Influence of Acculturation on Mental Health and Attitudes Towards Seeking Mental Health Services in Iranian Immigrants PDF Download

Author: Audrey R. Hill-Lindsay
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Author: Meisam Safdarzadeh Haghighi
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Iranian Americans
Languages : en
Pages : 140

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The purpose of this research was to investigate changes in the attitudes and willingness of Iranian immigrants towards seeking mental health help relative to the duration of their residence in the United States. Total of 87 adult first-generation Iranian immigrants in the U.S. who immigrated after age 15 were surveyed on acculturation, self-perceived bicultural competence, mental health attitudes, and the willingness to seek professional help for mental health concerns. Regressions and path analyses were conducted to examine the data. The results showed that level of adherence to mainstream American culture significantly predicted self-reported bicultural competence, while adherence to the Iranian culture was not a predictor. Additionally, all participants reported high degree of adherence to Iranian culture. Taken together, these findings suggest that for Iranians, bicultural competence is a function of the degree to which mainstream culture is incorporated into their cultural framework. The current sample also demonstrated a high level of willingness to seek help (i.e., M = 5.63, SD = 1.52 on a 7-point scale). Finally, mental health attitudes significantly predicted the willingness to seek help in all proposed models.

Author: Bahareh Tina Yazdanfar
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Author: Shirin Khanideh
Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
ISBN: 9783659689581
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Attitudes of female Iranian immigrants toward mental health as a result of their level of acculturation. This was part of my doctoral project research at Massachusetts school of professional psychology. I choose this topic since I am an Iranian female who immigrated to the United States. I did a survey of Iranian immigrants giving them two different questionnaire. one was measuring their level of acculturation and one was their attitude towards mental health.

Author: Shahla Gorovoy
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Author: Isabel Lopez
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 53

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Acculturation, mental health literacy, and perceived barriers to care are aspects that influence help-seeking attitudes. Extensive literature reveals that increased acculturation influences positive attitudes toward formal mental health care. A growing body of literature examines mental health literacy as it relates to promoting help-seeking attitudes and actual behaviors. Additionally, addressing barriers to care is crucial in encouraging formal service use. The purposes of this study were to examine (1) the influences of acculturation, mental health literacy, and perceived barriers on help-seeking attitudes; and (2) how attitudes translate to formal and informal service use among diverse samples within the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiological Surveys (CPES) national dataset. Bivariate correlations revealed no significant relationship between acculturation and help-seeking attitudes. Findings demonstrated significant paths from mental health literacy and perceived barriers to help-seeking attitudes among the sample (N = 874). Limited mental health literacy and more perceived barriers related to more negative help-seeking attitudes. Furthermore, greater negative attitudes toward formal care was negatively related to endorsing formal service use. There was no significant path from attitudes to informal care. In response to the lack of a significant relationship between acculturation and help-seeking attitudes, a multigroup path model was conducted to examine differences among immigrant vs. US-born samples. Analyses revealed no significant differences between the two groups. Future studies may consider further exploring differences among immigrant and US-born samples in an effort to inform mental health practices aimed at improving service delivery among underserved communities.

Author: Rhea Banerjee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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The primary objective of this quantitative study was to delve into the mental health help-seeking attitudes of 26-57 year-old international migrants living in the U.S. and experiencing psychological distress, and comparing their experiences with U.S. citizens, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus was on examining the dynamics between stigma, acculturation, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on help-seeking attitudes, in order to illuminate the challenges faced by international migrants and U.S. citizens in accessing mental health services. Key findings revealed a significant negative relationship between stigma and help-seeking attitudes, with the influence being more pronounced for international migrants. Acculturation was identified as a significant moderating factor. Alignment with U.S. culture mitigated the adverse effects of stigma, whereas a strong affiliation with one's native culture intensified it. In the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the stigma persisted as a barrier to seeking help, the moderation effect of pandemic-induced distress was minor, suggesting that increased distress does not necessarily drive individuals to overcome stigma's barriers. Furthermore, a detailed text analysis of participants' comments highlighted several challenges during the pandemic, including a pronounced sense of racial discrimination among international migrants. Amid the vast global disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of this study serve as an important reminder of the intricate intersections of mental health, cultural identity, and barriers for help-seeking. Implications span from acknowledging stigma as a pivotal barrier to mental health help-seeking to the pressing need for culturally sensitive interventions. The research advocates for comprehensive, culturally attuned, and stigma-aware strategies, emphasizing the crucial role of policy frameworks, intervention designs, and ongoing research in bolstering mental health support across diverse populations during challenging times.

Author: Jesuina Belerique
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Portuguese Americans
Languages : en
Pages : 48

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The current study investigated the Portuguese-Americans’ attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help (i.e., therapy) by evaluating their acculturation and religiosity level. Twenty-two male and 49 female first-generation (being born outside of the United States) or second-generation (being born in the United States) Portuguese-Americans participated in this study. Online surveys were completed by CSU, Stanislaus students and they received experimental credit for their participation. Participants who completed the surveys in person were community members recruited from a local Portuguese bakery or a Portuguese Catholic Church and they received a $5 gift card for their participation. Both online and in-person participants completed three surveys: Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Short-Survey (ATSPPH-S) measured attitudes towards help-seeking, the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH) measured the acculturation level of the Portuguese-American population, and the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith (SCSORF) survey was used to measure the level of religiosity. It was hypothesized that Portuguese-Americans who reported higher levels of religiosity would have less favorable attitudes towards seeking therapy from a mental health professional as compared to those who were not as religious. It was also hypothesized that the generation level (first or second) would influence their attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help as it was associated with their level of acculturation. The researcher hypothesized that less acculturated (first-generation) Portuguese-Americans would have more negative attitudes towards seeking professional help compared to their (second-generation) who are more acculturated to the American culture. Analyses revealed that religiosity did not significantly impact attitudes towards seeking help. Results also revealed that second-generation Portuguese-Americans were more acculturated than first-generation Portuguese-Americans. Additionally, second-generation Portuguese-Americans had more favorable attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help compared to first-generation Portuguese-American.

Author: Sarita Mohan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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There is a lack of research in the mental health field and on help-seeking regarding the Asian Indian population. Asian Indians are the third largest Asian subgroup in the United States; thus, it is important to understand their culture and lifestyle. Collectively, they are more likely to consult family and close friends rather than seek help from mental health professionals. Asian Indians may not choose to discuss these problems because they feel it is unnecessary, or it could bring shame to the family. The purpose of this study was to look at the effects of acculturation on the help-seeking attitudes of Asian Indian parents and caregivers when considering seeking help for their children. Inclusion criteria included parents and caregivers of children ages 7-17, who are 18 years of age or older, of Asian Indian ancestry, have resided in the U.S. for at least one year, and who have been the primary caregiver for at least 6 months. Measures used examined culture, acculturation, help-seeking attitudes, and some basic demographic information. The survey was available online as well as on paper to be returned to the researcher. A total of 89 participants, the majority of whom were mothers and well-educated, completed the survey. Participants were recruited at community events, at a temple in Houston, and through family members and friends by emailing the online link. Analyses of the data indicated that acculturation does not impact openness to seek mental health services, level of mental health stigma, and intentions to seek mental health services. It was also shown that openness and stigma do not mediate the relationship between acculturation and the intention to seek mental health services. Finally, the top sources of help indicated by the Asian Indians in this study are intimate partners, mental health professionals, and doctors or general practitioners. There were participants who had taken their children to see a professional before, but opinions varied regarding its helpfulness. It is hoped that this study will provide valuable information to inform mental health professionals about an understudied population and to continue to emphasize the importance of understanding diversity and what that means for school psychology and the mental health field.

Author: Roger Lin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Acculturation
Languages : en
Pages : 268

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Despite prevalence rates of mental illness comparable to other ethnic groups, the Asian American population underutilizes psychological services. In 2001, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made it their priority to work toward eliminating mental health disparities, reducing barriers, and improving access to mental health treatment. Unfortunately in 2012, Sue, Cheng, Saad, and Chu reported little progress in eliminating disparities in access to mental health services for the Asian American population. Their report concluded that the role of acculturation-related factors related to help-seeking attitudes requires further research. The current study used a meta-analytic methodology to investigate acculturation and enculturation-related factors that may be related with help-seeking attitudes. This meta-analytic approach is of particular significance, as the overall magnitude of the relationship between acculturation help-seeking attitudes has been inconsistent in existing research. This study examined the relationship of the predictor variables: acculturation and enculturation, with the outcome variable, help-seeking attitudes. Results indicated a minimal relationship between acculturation and help-seeking attitudes. Ethnic subgroup differences were identified which may account for the heterogeneity of the relationship between acculturation and help-seeking attitudes in prior research. Results also indicated a significant negative relationship between enculturation and help-seeking attitudes. The enculturation-related variables of stigma toward mental health, loss of face, and filial piety were negatively correlated with help-seeking attitudes. Enculturation did not moderate the relationship between acculturation and help-seeking attitudes suggesting a bilinear process of acculturation. Additionally, generational status was a significant predictor of help-seeking attitudes. These findings may prove to be important targets for outreach intervention efforts aimed at increasing psychological help-seeking attitudes among Asian Americans. Implications, limitations, and future directions for research are discussed. Keywords : Asian American, acculturation, enculturation, help-seeking attitudes.