Asian American and Pacific Islander: Facing Mental Wellness Nguyen Nhat Minh Transportation Coordinator Fairfax-Falls Church CSB.

Asian American and Pacific Islander:Facing Mental Wellness

Nguyen Nhat Minh

Transportation Coordinator

Fairfax-Falls Church CSB

Asian American andPacific Islanders (AA/PI)

• Highly diverse, consisting of at least 43 separate ethnic groups• While the per capita income of AA/PIs is almost as high as that for

whites, there is great variability both between and within subgroups• For example, there are many successful Southeast Asian and

Pacific Islander Americans; however, overall poverty rates for these two groups are much higher than the national average

• Collectively exhibit a wide range of strengths - family cohesion, educational achievements, and motivation for upward mobility

• Risk factors for mental illness such as pre-immigration trauma from harsh social conditions

• Diversity within this population and other hurdles make research on AA/PIs difficult to carry out

Collectivism vs. Individualism

• Emphasizes the interdependence of every human in some collective group

• Priority of the group goals over individual goals

• The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

• Emphasis is placed on independence and self-reliance

• Promotes one’s goals and desires while opposing most external interferences

Facing Truth or Lies

• Do our masks mirror our true identities

• Do our masks hide our true identities

Facing Truth or Lies

Face or Mask

• Giving Face• Not Giving

Face• Losing Face• Mirrored Sense

of Self-Worth

Masks of the World

Masks of the World

Masks of the World

Masks of the World

Makes of the World

Saving Face

• To not appear weak• To not look bad in the

eyes of others• To avoid

embarrassment, shame or guilt

• It’s not just about pride

What is Face

• Face is an interaction between ourselves and others

• Face is an internal response to other people’s perception of self

• Face is the internal motivation to create and exhibit the external self (our masks)

• The degree of face a person demonstrate is depended on the position or status of the other person

What is Face

• The position/status of the other person is also an internal assignment created by us, the perceived

• We would appoint or assign a degree of importance to the other person

• If we do not care about the other person, we would not fear losing face in front of that person

What is Face

• If we care about the other person, we would be motivated to “put our best face forward”

• This is somewhat of an internal self-assessment based on the external visual cues that are projected from the perceiver

What is Face

By attributing high esteem for someone and being able to solicit the positive feedback about oneself, one assesses oneself as a person of worth and value

Face, the Motivator

A study conducted by Bouchey and Harter (2005) shows that scholastic achievements is directly related to the students’ perception of competence as it relates to their parents’, teachers’ and classmates’ perceptions

Barriers of Saving Face

Facing Stereotypes

Face, the Barrier

• Face can be lost when one appears to be weaker or less competent

• Extreme overcompensations to avoid looking bad

• Denial and rigid thinking

Perception of Mental Illness

Perception of Mental Illness• Defective• Disgrace• Flawed

• Responsible• Shame• Quilt

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2002

Virginia Summary Report, 2002

Race/Ethnicity: 0% American Indian/Alaskan Native 1% Asian29% Black or African American0.2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander62% White 1% Multi-Racial 6% Hispanic or Latino 7% Race not available

Virginia Summary Report, 2008

Race/Ethnicity: 0.3% American Indian/Alaskan Native 1.1% Asian25.4% Black or African American 0.1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander62.3% White 1.5% Multi-Racial 4.9% Hispanic or Latino 9.2% Race not available

Isolating Face

• Fear of Losing Face• Stigma• Lack of Knowledge or

understanding of mental illness and symptoms

• Language Barriers• Cultural Competence• Credibility and Trust

Facing the Bridge

Five steps to build trust and save face• Step 1. Apologize• Step 2. Take a Time-Out• Step 3. Don't Introspect • Step 4. Remain Somewhat

Present• Step 5. Generosity

Need for Services

• Available research, while limited, suggests that the overall prevalence of mental health problems and disorders among AA/PIs does not significantly differ from prevalence rates for other Americans

• Thus, contrary to popular stereotypes, AA/PIs are not, as a group, "mentally healthier" than other groups. Refugees from Southeast Asian countries are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the trauma and terror preceding their immigration

Surgeon General Executive Summary: AA/PIs

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYMENTAL HEALTH: CULTURE, RACE, AND

ETHNICITYA Supplement toMental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESU.S. Public Health Service

Availability of and Access to Services

• Nearly half of AA/PIs have problems with availability of mental health services because of limited English proficiency and lack of providers who have appropriate language skills

• About 21 percent of AA/PIs lack health insurance, but again there is much variability. The rate of public health insurance for AA/PIs with low income, who are likely to qualify for Medicaid, is well below that of whites from the same income bracket

Utilization of Services

• AA/PIs have lower rates of utilization compared to whites

• This under-representation in care is characteristic of most AAPI groups, regardless of gender, age, and geographic location

• Among those who use services, the severity of their condition is high, suggesting that they delay using services until problems become very serious

• Stigma and shame are major deterrents to their utilization of services

Appropriateness and Outcomesof Services

• There is very limited evidence regarding treatment outcomes for AA/PIs

• Because of differences in their rates of drug metabolism, some AA/PIs may require lower doses of certain drugs than those prescribed for whites

• Ethnic matching of therapists with AAPI clients, especially those who are less acculturated, has increased their use of mental health services

Executive Summary Recommendation

•Every person, regardless of race or ethnicity, should seek help if they have a mental health problem or symptoms of a mental disorder•In the meantime, anyone who needs help must hear a simple, yet resounding, message of hope:

Treatment works and recovery is possible

Executive Summary Recommendation

•Individuals are encouraged to seek help from any source in which they have confidence•If they do not improve with the help received from the first source, they are encouraged to keep trying•At present, members of minority groups may experience limited availability of, and access to, culturally sensitive treatments•With time, access to these services should improve as a result of awareness of this problem and the courses of action identified in this Supplement

Your Best Face Forward

Put Your Best Face Forward

If you need to wear masks,

they should protect you

Or for fun…Happy Halloween

Thank you