How Culture Impacts Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors in College-Aged Chinese Americans

Adolescents are the most vulnerable to mental health issues in the United States, however, they are the least likely to receive relevant professional services. Particularly, young Chinese American adults who are influenced by traditional Chinese culture retain a higher reluctance to mental health-related help-seeking behaviors.Chinese American culture is co-constructed with families through parents’ worldviews, parenting styles, socio-economic statuses, and English proficiency. Several studies also suggest that mothers and fathers in Chinese American families play distinct roles in shaping youngsters’ perceptions of mental health awareness. As a result, the culture perceived from families has a significant impact on young Chinese American adults’ attitudes toward mental health help- seeking behaviors. Previous studies about the impact of culture on mental health are primarily about Asian Americans and seldom distinguish different cultural identities within the Asian American population. Besides, the results rarely focus on connecting with clinical practices. Although more research about mental health in East Asian populations has been conducted in recent decades, little has been done regarding the largest Asian group in the United States, the Chinese American population. This qualitative research is conducted with a thematic analytical approach. Participants from across the United States who identify as Chinese American college students between the ages of 18 and 28, and communicate with their families in Chinese languages, will engage in semi-structured in-depth interviews to share their culture-derived mental health experiences. By considering different cultural components, clinicians can better implement culturally appropriate mental health services for the Chinese American population.