In a study of Asian American adolescent individuals ages six through seventeen, Ho et al. (2006) examined the likelihood of youth using mental health services. Through survey data, these researchers found that Asian American youth were 66.6% less likely than their white counterparts to use mental health services (538). Furthermore, even when factors such as age, gender, or household income are controlled for, parental acculturation to American society is linked to youth usage of mental heal health resources (538). Hence, in addition to showing significantly less access to mental health services among Asian Americans, these researchers demonstrate a direct link between level of mainstream society acculturation and usage of such services. To
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(2008) not only examine mental health stresses on Asian American youth, they also examine attitudes toward mental healthcare. One of the most telling quotations from this study is about a subject who says, “I’m not a depressed person, but if I was, I would not even think about professional counseling” (149). This, to a great extent, demonstrates the barrier of access to mental healthcare among Asian Americans. Furthermore, these Asian American youth detail how they worry that their parents may be in denial of their child needing help (149). Hence, stigma is one of the primary obstacles to Asian Americans accessing mental healthcare. In a similar study of comparison between mental health stigma between Asian American and European American college students, Masuda and Boone (2011) take survey data. Through this methodology, they found that Asian American college students who perceived mental health stigma and had self-concealment were prone to “less favorable help-seeking attitudes overall” (273). In other words, these researchers show a direct link between stigma and lack of access. One of the most striking findings of this study, however, is that the Asian American students shared the same recognition of need for mental healthcare and confidence in mental health practitioners as their European American counterparts (274). This illustrates how Asian Americans do understand the importance of mental healthcare. But, at the same time,
(2008) not only examine mental health stresses on Asian American youth, they also examine attitudes toward mental healthcare. One of the most telling quotations from this study is about a subject who says, “I’m not a depressed person, but if I was, I would not even think about professional counseling” (149). This, to a great extent, demonstrates the barrier of access to mental healthcare among Asian Americans. Furthermore, these Asian American youth detail how they worry that their parents may be in denial of their child needing help (149). Hence, stigma is one of the primary obstacles to Asian Americans accessing mental healthcare. In a similar study of comparison between mental health stigma between Asian American and European American college students, Masuda and Boone (2011) take survey data. Through this methodology, they found that Asian American college students who perceived mental health stigma and had self-concealment were prone to “less favorable help-seeking attitudes overall” (273). In other words, these researchers show a direct link between stigma and lack of access. One of the most striking findings of this study, however, is that the Asian American students shared the same recognition of need for mental healthcare and confidence in mental health practitioners as their European American counterparts (274). This illustrates how Asian Americans do understand the importance of mental healthcare. But, at the same time,