Racial and Ethnic Cultural Factors in the Process of Acceptance of Mental Illness

Abstract

Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin has called attention to the need for qualitative research on recovery from serious mental illness (Hanley-Maxwell, Al Hano, & Skivington, 2007). The recovery movement in mental illness treatment defines recovery as a process of living a satisfying life of well-being and autonomy, as opposed to symptom elimination alone (Davidson, Drake, Schmutte, Dinzeo, & Andres-Hyman, 2009). A number of leaders of the recovery movement have identified acceptance of mental illness as a crucial stage in the recovery process, and one of the most challenging (Deegan, 1996;Ridgway, 2001;Spaniol & Gagne, 1997). Acceptance of mental illness has been reasoned to be critical to medical and mental health management of the illness as well as overall quality of life (Kravetz, Faust, & David, 2000). In this article, we define acceptance as a multidimensional process of understanding and recognizing one's mental illness, and actively engaging in the management of related symptoms and experiences. An important factor is the role of one's racial and ethnic cultural background in impacting the process of acceptance of mental illness (Carpenter-Song et al., 2010;Chen & Mak, 2008;Kirmayer & Bhugra, 2009).To examine racial/ethnic (i.e., racioethnic) cultural factors in the acceptance process for people with serious mental illness, we conducted the present study of qualitative interviews with 30 participants with serious mental illness. The cultural backgrounds of these individuals varied with regard to race, ethnicity, gender, age, immigration experiences, and acculturation levels. To contextualize this research, we will begin with an overview of the literature on the acceptance process and cultural issues in the experience of serious mental illness. Next, we will provide five case narratives of participants to illustrate these racioethnic factors in the acceptance process. These narratives are presented to assist rehabilitation practitioners in considering racioethnic factors in the acceptance process. Finally, we will highlight implications for culturally relevant rehabilitation counseling and research pertaining to the process of acceptance of mental illness. Acceptance of Mental IllnessAcceptance is a crucial stage in the recovery from serious mental illness, and one of the most challenging (Deegan, 1996). A serious mental illness (or mental illness) is a mental disorder that interferes with at least two areas of functioning-social functioning, vocational functioning, and self-care (National Institute of Mental Health, 2008). Acceptance is an emotional, cognitive, and behavioral process that can foster empowerment and hope (Spaniol & Gagne, 1997). Acceptance can involve self-education, overcoming negative self-judgment, developing a positive identity, working past denial, and achieving understanding of one's mental illness (Ridgway, 2001). However, 475823R CB56410.1177/0034355213475823Rehabil itation Counseling BulletinMizock and Russinova

Barriers to and Facilitators of the Acceptance Process for Individuals With Serious Mental Illness

“…These approaches can address the emotional, relational, and systemic facilitators of the acceptance process. Clinicians can provide culturally responsive mental health care by developing a sensitivity to the cultural factors that might contribute to the client’s acceptance process (Ida, 2007; Mizock & Russinova, 2013). They can explore cultural factors in acceptance with their clients and connect them to relevant resources in the community so clients can feel more supported within their cultural network.…”