Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 6/2015

01-12-2015 | Original Paper

Help Seeking Attitudes Among Cambodian and Laotian Refugees: Implications for Public Mental Health Approaches

Authors: Manivone Thikeo, Paul Florin, Chee Ng

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 6/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

This is a pilot study of demographic and acculturation factors in relation to attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Lao and Cambodian refugees and immigrants in the United States of America. Cambodian and Laotian American adults in the United States of America were approached to complete help-seeking attitudes and acculturation scales. T test and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the relationships between the demographic and acculturation variables, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Out of 270 target subjects approached there were 108 respondents. Of the demographic variables, gender was associated with favorable attitudes towards psychological help-seeking. As expected, women were significantly more likely than men to recognize the need for help, to seek psychological help, to be more open to discussing mental health problems, and have more confidence in professional services. Acculturation was more powerfully associated with help- seeking attitudes than any of the demographic variables. In hierarchical multiple regression, acculturation contributed significant unique variance over and beyond the entire set of demographic variables to openness to discussing problems and having confidence in professional help. The findings of this pilot study suggest that there are significant barriers to seeking psychological help among Lao and Cambodian Americans. Attention to the issues of gender and levels of acculturation may improve access.
Literature
1.
Abe-Kim J, Takeuchi DT, Hong S, Zane N, Sue S, Spencer MS, Appel H, Nicdao E, Alegría M. Use of mental health-related services among immigrant and US-born Asian Americans: results from the National Latino and Asian American study. Am J Public Health. 2007;97:91–8. doi:10.​2105/​AJPH.​2006.​098541.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
2.
Atkinson DR, Kim RH. Asian American cultural identity and attitude toward mental health services. J Couns Psychol. 1989;38:473–8.
3.
Berry JW. Acculturative stress. In: Organista PB, Chun KM, Marin G, editors. Reading in ethnic psychology. New York: Routledge; 1998.
4.
Berry JW, Sam D. Acculturation and adaptation. In: Berry JW, Segall MH, Kagitcibasi C, editors. Hand book of cross-cultural psychology, vol. 3. Boston: Allyn and Bacon; 1997. p. 291–326.
5.
Chin LJ, Liem HJ, Cheng-Ham DM, Hong KG. Transference and empathy in Asian American psychotherapy: cultural values and treatment needs. Connecticut: Praeger; 1993.
6.
Choi JB, Thomas M. Predictive factors of acculturation attitudes and social support among Asian Immigrant in the USA. Int J Soc Welf. 2009;18:76–84.CrossRef
7.
8.
Chung R, Kagawa-Singer M. An interpretation of symptom presentation and distress: a Southeast Asian example. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1995;183(10):639–48.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Hatfield E, Rapson RL, Le YCL. Ethnic and gender differences in emotional ideology, experience, and expression. Int J Pers Relationsh. 2009;3(1):30–57.
10.
Fischer HE, Turner LB. Orientation to seeking professional help: development and research utility of an attitude scale. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1970;35(1):79–90.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Gim RH, Atkinson DR, Whitley S. Asian culture values, attitudes toward seeking professional psychological health and willingness to see a counselor. J Counsel Psychol. 1990;37:281–5.CrossRef
12.
Indo-Chinese Culture & Services Center. Southeast Asian health care. Portland: Indochinese Cultural & Services Center; 1982.
13.
Johnson ME. Influences of gender and gender role orientation on attitudes. J Psychol. 1988;122(3):237–41.CrossRef
14.
Kelly AE, Achter JA. Self-concealment and attitudes in university students. J Counsel Psychol. 1995;42:40–6.CrossRef
15.
Kim KMS, Omizo MM. Asian culture values, attitudes toward seeking professional psychological health and willingness to see a counselor. Counsel Psychol. 2003;31(3):343–61.CrossRef
16.
Kinzie JD, Fredrickson R, Ben R, Fleck J, Karls W. Posttraumatic stress disorder among survivors of cambodian concentration camps. Am J Psychiatry. 1984;141:645–50.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Kinzie JD. Overview of Clinical issues in the treatment of Southeast Asian refugees. In: Owan TC, editor. Southeast Asian mental health: treatment, prevention, services, training and research. Washington, DC: NIMH; 1985. p. 113–35.
18.
Kinzie J, Boehnlein JK, Leung PK, Moore LJ, Reily C, Smith D. The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder and its clinical significance among Southeast Asian refugees. Am J Psychiatry. 1990;147:913–7.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Kleinman A. The illness narratives. New York: Basic books; 1983.
20.
Kunz EF. The refugee in flight: kinetic models and forms of adjustment. Int Migrat Rev. 1973;7:126–46.CrossRef
21.
Leong F, Glidden L. Counseling and psychotherapy with Asian Americans: review of the literature. J Counsel Psychol. 1986;33:196–206.CrossRef
22.
Lese KP, Robbins SB. Relationship between goal attributes and the academic achievement of Southeast Asian adolescent refugees. J Counsel Psychol. 1994;41:45–52.CrossRef
23.
Ma GX. Between Two World: the use of traditional and Western health services by Chinese immigrants. J Community Health. 1999;24:421–37.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Marshall NG, Schell LT, Elliot NM, Berthold MS, Chun Ch-Ah. Mental health of Cambodian refugees two decades after resettlement in the United States. J Am Med Assoc. 2005;295(5):571–9.CrossRef
25.
Marshall NGM, Berthold MS, Schell LB, Schell LT, Elliot N, Chun Ch-Ah, Hambarsoomian K. Rates and correlates of seeking mental health services among Cambodian refugees. Am J Public Health. 2006;96(12):1829–35.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
26.
Mollica RF, Lavell J. The psychosocial impact of war trauma and torture on Southeast Asian refugees. Am J Psychiatry. 1987;144(12):567–72.
27.
Moon A, Tashima N. Help-seeking behavior and attitudes of Southeast Asian refugees: San Francisco: Pacific Asian Mental Health Research Project; 1982
28.
Nam SK, Chu HJ, Lee MK, Lee JH, Kim N, Lee SM. A meta-analysis of gender differences in attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. J Am Coll Health. 2011;59(2):110–6.CrossRef
29.
Ng CH. Stigma of Mental Illness in Asian Cultures. Aust NZ J Psychiatry. 1997;31:382–90.CrossRef
30.
Nicholson BL. The influence of pre-emigration and post migrations stressors on mental health: a study of Southeast Asian refugees. Soc Work Res. 1997;21(1):19–31.CrossRef
31.
Nicassio PM. The psychological adjustment of Southeast Asian refugee. J Cross Cult Psychol. 1985;16(2):153–73.CrossRef
32.
Nguyen QCX, Anderson PL. Vietnamese Americans’ attitudes toward seeking mental health services: relation to cultural variable. J Community Psychol. 2005;33(2):213–31.CrossRef
33.
Ponterotto JG, Baluch S, Carielli D. Measurement & Evaluation in Counseling & Development. Am Counsel Assoc. 1998;32(2):p109.
34.
Reeves TJ, Bennett CE. We the people: Asians in the United States, Census 2000 Special Reports. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau; 2004.
35.
Root MP. Guidelines for facilitating therapy with Asian American clients. Psychotherapy. 1985;22:349–56.
36.
Sato M. The shame factor: counseling Asian Americans. J Asian Am Psychol Assoc. 1975;5(1):20–4.
37.
Sue S, McKinney H. Asian-Americans in the community mental health care system. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1975;45:111–8.CrossRefPubMed
38.
Suinn RM, Richard-Figueroa K, Lew S, Vigil P. The Suinn-Lew Asian Self Identity Acculturation Scale: an initial report. Educ Psychol Measur. 1987;47:401–7.CrossRef
39.
Uba L. Asian Americans: personality patterns, identity and mental health. New York: Guilford Press; 1994.
40.
41.
Westermeyer J. Motivations for uprooting and migration. In: Holtzman WH, Bornemann WH, editors. Mental health of immigrants and refugees. Austin, TX: Hogg Foundation for Mental Health; 1990. p. 78–89.
42.
Wong HZ. Mental health services in Asian and Pacific American communities. In L. R. Snowden (Ed.), Reaching the underserved: Mental health needs of neglected populations. Annual review of community mental health. Newbury Park, CA: Sage;1982
43.
44.
Zhang AY, Snowden LR, Sue S. Differences between Asian and white Americans’ help-seeking and utilization patterns in the Los Angeles area. J Community Psychol. 1998;26:317–26.CrossRef
45.
Zhang N, Dixon DN. Acculturation and attitude of Asian international student toward seeking professional psychological help. J Multicult Counsel Dev. 2003;31(3):205–22.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Help Seeking Attitudes Among Cambodian and Laotian Refugees: Implications for Public Mental Health Approaches
Authors
Manivone Thikeo
Paul Florin
Chee Ng
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 6/2015
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0171-7

Other articles of this Issue 6/2015

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 6/2015 Go to the issue

Original Paper

Shame and Anxiety Feelings of a Roma Population in Greece

Original Research

Role of Social Support in Examining Acculturative Stress and Psychological Distress Among Asian American Immigrants and Three Sub-groups: Results from NLAAS

Original Paper

The Relationships Between Functional Limitation, Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and Coping in Older Korean Immigrants

Original Paper

Turkish and Moroccan Young Adults in the Netherlands: The Relationship Between Acculturation and Psychological Problems

Original paper

Migration Patterns and Characteristics of Sexual Partners Associated with Unprotected Sexual Intercourse Among Hispanic Immigrant and Migrant Women in the United States

Original paper

Association of Race, Ethnicity and Language with Participation in Mental Health Research Among Adult Patients in Primary Care