Symposia
Oppression and Resilience Minority Health
Linsey R. Mathew, M.S.
Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts
Rebecca Browne, M.S.
Suffolk University
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Laura Austin, M.S.
Third
Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts
Sarah Schwartz, Ph.D.
Second
Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts
Jessica loPresti, Ph.D.
Fifth
Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts
Asian and Asian American college students demonstrate low rates of mental health service utilization. Among the sociocultural predictors of help-seeking among Asians and Asian Americans, cultural orientation (individualism-collectivism) remains understudied. Previous research also demonstrates intergenerational differences in help-seeking in Asian and Asian Americans. The current study examined the role of cultural orientation and generation status on psychological help-seeking in a sample of 202 Asian and Asian American undergraduate students (Mage = 22.20, SD = 5.73, 55.4% female). The study demonstrated that individualism and collectivism did not predict help-seeking. However, cultural identity fit, or how well an individual feels that their identity fits in with that of their university, negatively correlated with somatic (r = -.16, p < .05) and depressive symptoms (r = -.21, p < .01), and also negatively correlated with recognizing the need to seek help (r = -.17, p < .05). Cultural identity fit also moderated the relationship between symptoms and recognizing the need to seek help X2 (1, 186) = 8.55, p < .01, but only moderated the relationship between somatic symptoms and actually seeking help X2 (1, 186) = 8.44, p = .02. Additionally, generation status positively correlated with seeking help (r = .19, p < .01), and moderated the relationship between symptoms and recognizing the need to seek help X2 (1, 194) = 5.88, p = .03, and actually seeking help X2 (1, 194) = 15.09, p < .001. The results indicate that Asian and Asian American college students with lower cultural identity fit were more likely to recognize the need to seek help. Moreover, when experiencing higher levels of somatic symptoms, those with lower cultural identity fit were more likely to seek help. Lastly, when experiencing high levels of psychological symptoms, Asian and American college students who identified as second- or third-generation were more likely to seek help than first-generation Asian and Asian American college students. These results provide a better understanding of the cultural influences on help-seeking in this population.