Objective: Using a psychosociocultural framework, the study explored the relationship between Indian American undergraduates' internalized attitudes of the model minority myth (MMM) and their attitudes toward seeking mental health services. Participants: A total of 205 undergraduates (108 females, 96 males, 1 non-binary) who were primarily upper division students (77 lower division [first years/sophomores] and 128 upper division [juniors/seniors]) from across the U.S. participated in this study. Method: Students completed an online study of five standardized scales. Results: Hierarchical regression analysis indicated the psychological, social, and cultural constructs collectively accounted toward attitudes toward seeking mental health services. MMM internalization and environmental factors also acted as mediating variables toward different help seeking subscales. Conclusions: The study's findings deepen the understanding of Indian American attitudes toward seeking mental health services, with directives for future research and student services discussed.
Using a psychosociocultural framework, we examined 122 Indian American undergraduates' well-being, with an emphasis on cultural processes. The student sample was primarily first-generation to college with differences emerging by student standing for coping approaches, perception of barriers that would prompt withdrawal, congruity, and well-being. Problem- and emotion-focused coping, barriers that would prompt withdrawal, and congruity emerged as predictors of well-being as well as each partially mediating the relationship of the culture-specific approach (enculturation and identity) and well-being. Although not all anticipated findings emerged, the study's results deepened the understanding of well-being and added to the limited educational discourse of Indian American undergraduates' postsecondary processes and experiences. Implications of the study's findings are addressed for student support services and mental health professionals who facilitate student well-being, with particular focus on the intersecting processes of Indian American undergraduates' daily culture-specific approaches.
Using Stern et al.’s (1999) Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) Theory as a model of understanding, we examined 75 Asian American adults with an emphasis on internalized values and their attitudes towards seeking mental health services. The sample was primarily Indian and Chinese Americans with no significant differences found between groups. Enculturation and acculturation values emerged as full and partial mediating effects of attitudes towards seeking mental health services, respectively. The study’s results deepen the understanding and add to the limited research regarding Asian Americans’ attitudes towards seeking mental health services and additionally provide insight into where Asian American mental health stigmatization may stem from. Implications of the study’s findings are directed towards mental health practitioners, community centers, and other counseling centers to include more of a focus on Asian Americans’ internalized values when conducting research and attempting to provide community support.