Families caring for chronically mentally ill relatives often experience considerable stress and hardship. To adapt, family members must learn new coping strategies and make sufficient use of informal and formal support systems in the community. The authors examined cultural variations in the coping and adaptation process among three main ethnic groups in Singapore (Chinese, Malay, and Indian). Interviews conducted with primary caregivers in 30 families showed cross-cultural differences in the adverse effects on the family system, the use of coping strategies, and the utilization of support networks. A culturally sensitive, indigenous model of community mental health services designed to overcome family resistance is presented.

Effective ethnic-sensitive social work practice requires an understanding of the cultural compatibility between an intervention model and the client group. This study evaluated the cultural fit of psychoeducational family group treatment with ethnic Chinese and Malay families in Singapore. Process evaluation of five treatment groups determined that incompatibilities in beliefs, world views, and treatment expectations between the model and thc clients resulted in difficulties in client role behavior. Cognitive-behavioral interventions were partially successhl in facilitating members' participation in group activities and goal achievement. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Deliven~ Service: 1-800- 342-9678. E-mail address: getinfo@haworth.com]Carl E. Bentelspacher, PhD, is a member of the faculty at

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