Transcript Willingness to Seek Professional Psychological Help Among

Willingness to Seek Professional
Psychological Help Among VietnameseAmericans
Dung Ngo, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Psychology Department
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
(608) 785-8444
[email protected]
OVERVIEW OF VIETNAMESEAMERICANS
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Vietnamese-American Population in the United
States by Region.
Regions
Northeastern States
Midwestern States
Southern States
Western States
Total
Source. U.S. Census Bureau, 2000.
Population
115,487
106,938
335,679
564,424
1,122,528
A BRIEF HISTORICAL CONTEXT
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First Wave: April 30, 1975
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Second Wave: Late 1970s through 1980s
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More educated; better English proficiency
More exposure to Western cultures
Possessed transferable skills
“The Boat People”
Many also escaped by land
Third Wave: Early 1990s
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Humanitarian Operation and
Family Reunification (Late 1980s)
PREIMMIGRATION TRAUMA
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Types of Trauma (Mollica, et al., 1992)
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High prevalence in Depression, Anxiety, PTSD,
Adjustment problems
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War/Combat
Lack of food and shelter
Imprisonment/torture
Witnessing death
Lost at sea/jungle
Rape
In a community sample >70% reported high levels of
depression & PTSD (Ngo, 1998)
Low Service Utilization Rates (Sue et al., 1992)
WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR LOW RATES OF
MENTAL HEALTH UTILIZATION?
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Shame/Cultural stigma
Language barriers
Unfamiliar with mental health services
Transportation; time consuming; cost
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“Paying $75/session for talking is ridiculous”
Lack of culturally sensitive service providers &
facilities
NOT because Vietnamese are “model
minorities” and are psychologically healthy
CONCEPTUALIZATION OF MENTAL
ILLNESS IN ASIAN CULTURES
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Western concepts of mental illness may be
inconsistent with Vietnamese culture
Terms for many psychiatric conditions do not
exist (Ngo et al., 2003)
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Abnormal behaviors (e.g., psychosis) are often
referred to as “CRAZY”
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Vietnamese dictionaries define depression
 Discouragement, disheartenment, sadness
Spiritual Possession or Cursed
Treatments are often restricted to “home
remedies” and confinement until unbearable
PREDICTORS OF WILLINGNESS TO SEEK
PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP
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SAMPLE:
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335 Vietnamese adults in MA, MO, TX
55% Women
98% were born in VN
Mean age = 44 years
Mean length of residence: 11 years
Education: 33% four-year college; 42% H.S.; 25%
less than H.S.
METHODS
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MEASURES:
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CLINICAL VIGNETTES
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Depression (Mrs. Le)
PTSD (Mr. Ly)
PERCEIVED CAUSE
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Spiritual possession (God, demons)
Physical-Biological-Medical (physical illness)
Psychological (weak mind)
Social-Environmental (problems with family or others)
METHODS
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PERCEPTION ABOUT HELPING SOURCES
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Psychologists
Herbalists
Religious leaders
Family physicians
Friends
Family
Community leaders
ATTITUDES TOWARD SEEKING
PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP
(Fischer & Turner, 1970)
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29 items (Need, Stigma, Openness, and Confidence)
METHODS
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INDEPENDENT VARIABLES
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Demographic Variables
ATSPPH
Help Preference
Perceived Cause
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
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Willingness to Seek Help
GENERAL RESULTS
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Women reported more positive attitudes and
more willingness to seek professional help.
Younger participants appeared more
willingness to seek help for PTSD but not for
Depression.
Household (NOT personal) income was
correlated with willingness to seek help.
RESULTS
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While ATSPPH highly correlated with willingness to
seek help,
Perception of helping sources strongly influenced their
willingness to seek help
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Participants perceived PSYCHOLOGIST as most helpful
source were more willing to seek help for both DEPRESSION
& PSTD.
Perceptions about the causes of mental disorders also
influenced willingness to seek help.
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Past studies reported AA perceived the causes on mental
illness as organic factors (Sue et al., 1996).
This study, Vietnamese perceived the cause for both
Depression and PTSD as psychological or personal
 i.e., “keeping the problem to oneself”.
CONCLUSIONS-IMPLICATIONS
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Vietnamese-Americans in this sample quite open to
seek help from a mental health professional if that
source is perceived as helpful.
Perceptions about the causes of the diorders
influenced participants’ willingness to seek
professional help.
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Vietnamese in this sample perceived Depression and PTSD
are caused by “keeping the problem to oneself”,
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suggest their willingness to discuss their problems with a trusted
professional
Community psychoeducation about mental health
services may increase willingness to seek professional
psychological help.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dung Ngo, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
 Psychology Department
 1725 State Street
 La Crosse, WI 54601
 Office: (608) 785-8444
 Email: [email protected]
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