Assessment and Comparison of Culturally Based Explanations for Mental Disorder Among Singaporean Chinese Youth

Mathews, Mathew

doi:10.1177/0020764008096853

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…For example, alternative explanatory models for asthma have been described in other ethnic-racial groups [69] and in other diseases [70–73]. Explanatory models are important to elicit for several reasons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health beliefs, treatment preferences and complementary and alternative medicine for asthma, smoking and lung cancer self-management in diverse Black communities

George

2012

Patient Education and Counseling

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Objectives The purpose of this literature review is to characterize unconventional health beliefs and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for asthma, smoking and lung cancer as those that are likely safe and those that likely increase risk in diverse Black communities. These findings should provide the impetus for enhanced patient-provider communication that elicits patients’ beliefs and self-management preferences so that they may be accommodated, or when necessary, reconciled through discussion and partnership. Methods Original research articles relevant to this topic were obtained by conducting a literature search of the PubMed Plus, PsychINFO and SCOPUS databases using combinations of the following search terms: asthma, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), smoking, beliefs, complementary medicine, alternative medicine, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), explanatory models, African American, and Black. Results Using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 51 original research papers were retained. Taken together, they provide evidence that patients hold unconventional beliefs about the origins of asthma and lung cancer and the health risks of smoking, have negative opinions of standard medical and surgical treatments, and have favorable attitudes about using CAM. All but a small number of CAM and health behaviors were considered safe. Conclusions When patients’ unconventional beliefs and preferences are not identified and discussed, there is an increased risk that standard approaches to self-management of lung disease will be sub-optimal, that potentially dangerous CAM practices might be used and that timely medical interventions may be delayed. Practice implications Providers need effective communication skills as the medical dialogue forms the basis of patients’ understanding of disease and self-management options. The preferred endpoint of such discussions should be agreement around an integrated treatment plan that is effective, safe and acceptable to both.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health beliefs, treatment preferences and complementary and alternative medicine for asthma, smoking and lung cancer self-management in diverse Black communities

George

2012

Patient Education and Counseling

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“…Studies of Chinese youths in Singapore showed that some youths believed in the Asian physiological explanation of mental illness (eg, traditional Chinese beliefs of a body out of balance or harmony) or attributed mental illness to religious and supernatural influences. 19 These beliefs could be related to some youths’ preference for seeking help from Traditional Chinese Medicine physicians. 20 Although participants in these studies also showed beliefs in psychological causes of mental illness and preference for seeking help from mental health professionals, the findings suggest that one’s cultural background may influence one’s views of mental illness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stigma among Singaporean youth: a cross-sectional study on adolescent attitudes towards serious mental illness and social tolerance in a multiethnic population

et al. 2017

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ObjectivesStigma against mental illnesses is one of the significant obstacles faced by mental health service users and providers. It can develop at a young age and is also influenced by culture. Youths in Southeast Asian countries are under-represented in mental health research, thus this study aims to explore the dimensions of stigma and social tolerance and examine its correlates in the younger, multiethnic population of Singapore.DesignAn online survey collected data with sociodemographic questions, the Attitudes Towards Serious Mental Illness (Adolescent version) Scale, Social Tolerance Scale and an open-text question on words or phrases participants associated with the term ‘mental illness’. Principal component analysis and multiple regression models were conducted to investigate the factor structure of the attitudes and social tolerance scales and their sociodemographic correlates.ParticipantsParticipants included 940 youths aged 14–18 years old who were residing in Singapore at the time of the survey and were recruited through local schools.ResultsAbout a quarter of the students (22.6%) reported participating in mental health awareness campaigns while nearly half (44.5%) associated pejorative words and phrases with the term mental illness. The Attitudes Towards Serious Mental Illness (Adolescent version) Scale yielded five factors while the Social Tolerance Scale yielded two. Ethnicity, gender and nationality were significantly correlated with factors of both scales. Chinese youths showed higher sense of ’physical threat' and lower ’social tolerance' than those of other ethnicities. Females showed more ’wishful thinking', ’social concern' and ’social responsibility' towards the mentally ill than males.ConclusionsThe dimensions of stigma and social tolerance are different in Asian cultures compared with Western cultures. Sociodemographic differences in attitudes towards the mentally ill were found among youths living in Singapore. Misconceptions and negative attitudes towards mental illness are common, demonstrating a clear need for effective stigma reduction campaigns.

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Conceptualizing Culturally Infused Engagement and Its Measurement for Ethnic Minority and Immigrant Children and Families

Yasui

Pottick

Chen

2017

Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev

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Despite the central role culture plays in racial and ethnic disparities in mental health among ethnic minority and immigrant children and families, existing measures of engagement in mental health services have failed to integrate culturally specific factors that shape these families' engagement with mental health services. To illustrate this gap, the authors systematically review 119 existing instruments that measure the multi-dimensional and developmental process of engagement for ethnic minority and immigrant children and families. The review is anchored in a new integrated conceptualization of engagement, the culturally infused engagement model. The review assesses culturally relevant cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral mechanisms of engagement from the stages of problem recognition and help seeking to treatment participation that can help illuminate the gaps. Existing measures examined four central domains pertinent to the process of engagement for ethnic minority and immigrant children and families: (a) expressions of mental distress and illness, (b) causal explanations of mental distress and illness, (c) beliefs about mental distress and illness, and (d) beliefs and experiences of seeking help. The findings highlight the variety of tools that are used to measure behavioral and attitudinal dimensions of engagement, showing the limitations of their application for ethnic minority and immigrant children and families. The review proposes directions for promising research methodologies to help intervention scientists and clinicians improve engagement and service delivery and reduce disparities among ethnic minority and immigrant children and families at large, and recommends practical applications for training, program planning, and policymaking.

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Assessment and Comparison of Culturally Based Explanations for Mental Disorder Among Singaporean Chinese Youth

Cited by 8 publications

References 44 publications

Health beliefs, treatment preferences and complementary and alternative medicine for asthma, smoking and lung cancer self-management in diverse Black communities

Health beliefs, treatment preferences and complementary and alternative medicine for asthma, smoking and lung cancer self-management in diverse Black communities

Stigma among Singaporean youth: a cross-sectional study on adolescent attitudes towards serious mental illness and social tolerance in a multiethnic population

Conceptualizing Culturally Infused Engagement and Its Measurement for Ethnic Minority and Immigrant Children and Families

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