Help-Seeking Behaviors among Chinese Americans with Depressive Symptoms

Leung, Patrick; Cheung, Monit; Tsui, Venus

doi:10.1093/sw/swr009

Cited by 40 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Differences remained significant after controlling for the effects of gender and age. These results are consistent with those of previous studies that have found higher levels of negative psychological symptoms among international students from Asia or China specifically (Cross, 1995;Han et al, 2013;Leung et al, 2012;Settles et al, 2012;Yeh, 2003). Qualitative data suggested that the main sources of anxiety and stress for the Chinese students were academic factors, such as study workload and ambiguity over assessment tasks or teaching styles; life balance stressors, such as lack of time for relationships and social activities; and family stressors, including high expectations and pressure to succeed from parents.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

An empirical investigation of the incidence of negative psychological symptoms among Chinese international students at an Australian university

Redfern

2016

Australian Journal of Psychology

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Objective: To examine comparative levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among a sample of Chinese international students and local Australian students studying at a major Australian university, and to elicit the main sources of symptoms in these groups. Method: The study used the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) to measure scores on each of the subscales in a sample of 201 undergraduate students. Differences between the local students, Australian students, and Chinese international students are reported. Qualitative data are analysed to determine the main sources of students' psychological symptoms. Results: Australian students' stress levels fell between the 'mild' to 'moderate' categories, while Chinese students' stress levels fell within the 'moderate' category. Anxiety levels were between 'normal' and 'mild' for Australian students, and between 'moderate' and 'severe' for Chinese students. Depression levels fell in the upper range of 'normal' for both groups. Chinese students' levels of both stress and anxiety were significantly higher than for local students. Academic, life balance, and family factors were found to be the main sources of stress for Chinese students. Conclusions: Chinese international students experience significantly higher levels of anxiety and stress than their Australian counterparts, and the causes of these appear to be culture-specific. Universities have a duty of care to address the phenomena of psychological morbidity among Chinese international students. Approaches to psychological support services, including counselling and academic support, should be culturally specific and must be reinforced constantly during the semester as stress and anxiety accumulate.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

An empirical investigation of the incidence of negative psychological symptoms among Chinese international students at an Australian university

Redfern

2016

Australian Journal of Psychology

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“…For example, in two studies of Chinese immigrants, informal help from relatives or friends was most often preferred, followed by help from other informal sources and, finally, help from medical and mental health practitioners (39,59). In a sample of Korean immigrants and nonimmigrants, 52% preferred to go to family and friends for help with mental health problems, 40% preferred religious consultation, and 9% preferred a mental health professional (54).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental Health Service Use Among Immigrants in the United States: A Systematic Review

Derr¹

2016

333

249

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Objective Immigrants face stressors unique to the experience of migration that may exacerbate or cause mental health problems but access care at rates far below the general population, leaving them at risk of untreated mental health conditions. This review synthesizes current findings on mental health service utilization among immigrants to inform future research efforts addressing disparities in access to care. Methods A systematic literature search of seven databases yielded 62 articles that met inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed reports of empirical studies based in the United States with an explicit focus on immigrant mental health service use. Each article was evaluated, and information was extracted by using a structured abstracting form. Results Studies have shown that immigrants from Asia, Latin America, and Africa use mental health services at lower rates than nonimmigrants, despite an equal or greater need. Lower usage has been found to be more pronounced among men, the uninsured, and the undocumented. Structural barriers to service use reported included lack of insurance, high cost, and language barriers. Studies have shown that social support is particularly important for immigrants and that those who seek help for mental health concerns tend to turn first to family, friends, or religious leaders. Conclusions Important areas for future research on disparities in mental health service use among immigrants include expanding research and analytic design to emphasize understudied groups and the heterogeneity of immigrant experiences over time, studying interventions that foster collaboration between formal and informal service sectors, and examining the role of social support in problem recognition and treatment initiation.

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“…In Chinese medicine, PS from shaking or an analog of earthquake is considered as a factor which impairs kidney Qi ( shen qi ) [12]. As kidney is the root of earlier heaven (the congenital constitution), it governs reproduction and development and holds oriffice of labor, whence agility and emanates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanism of Earthquake Simulation as a Prenatal Stressor Retarding Rat Offspring Development and Chinese Medicine Correcting the Retardation: Hormones and Gene-Expression Alteration

Zhang

Tan

et al. 2012

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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We aimed to investigate the mechanism of shaking as a prenatal stressor impacting the development of the offspring and Chinese medicines correcting the alterations. Pregnant rats were randomized into earthquake simulation group (ESG), herbal group (HG) which received herbal supplements in feed after shaking, and control group (CG). Findings revealed body weight and open field test (OFT) score of ESG offspring were statistically inferior to the CG and HG offspring. The corticosterone levels of ESG were higher than those of CG but not than HG. The dopamine level of ESG was slightly lower than that of the CG and of HG was higher than that of ESG. The 5-HT of ESG was higher than CG and HG. The growth hormone level of the ESG was significantly lower than ESG but not than CG. Gene expression profile showed 81 genes upregulated and 39 genes downregulated in ESG versus CG, and 60 genes upregulated and 28 genes downregulated in ESG versus HG. Eighty-four genes were found differentially expressed in ESG versus CG comparison and were normalized in ESG versus HG. We conclude that maternal shaking negatively affected physical and nervous system development, with specific alterations in neurohormones and gene expression. Chinese herbal medicine reduced these negative outcomes.

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Help-Seeking Behaviors among Chinese Americans with Depressive Symptoms

Cited by 40 publications

References 35 publications

An empirical investigation of the incidence of negative psychological symptoms among Chinese international students at an Australian university

An empirical investigation of the incidence of negative psychological symptoms among Chinese international students at an Australian university

Mental Health Service Use Among Immigrants in the United States: A Systematic Review

Mechanism of Earthquake Simulation as a Prenatal Stressor Retarding Rat Offspring Development and Chinese Medicine Correcting the Retardation: Hormones and Gene-Expression Alteration

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