Expanding Psychotherapeutic Intervention Frameworks for Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health: Qualitative Synthesis of Multidisciplinary Perspectives

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are the fastest growing ethnic/racial group in the United States but experience difficulties accessing and engaging in mental-health care. Limited clarity around applied cultural adaptations for evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) and biases in the psychological field may hinder innovations in care. In this qualitative study, we explore adaptations to existing EBP intervention frameworks by synthesizing perspectives of experts in AAPI issues from both mental-health and non-mental-health fields. In-depth interviews were conducted with mental-health researchers and clinicians who focus on AAPI issues ( N = 24) and nonpsychology experts ( N = 12) in Asian and AAPI issues, drawing from fields including ethnic studies, history, diaspora studies, cultural sociology, political science, literature, and film studies. Thematic analyses yielded eight key themes that informed peripheral and core modifications and goals to existing EBPs. This expanded EBP psychotherapeutic framework may improve clinical applications of cultural adaptations.