Issues In Pacific Asian American Health And Mental Health PDF Download

This book has two objectives: to show that the research does not support the belief that Asians in the United States are well adjusted, and therefore, do not need mental health services; and, to show the effects of cultural differences between Americans and Asians in the recognition and treatment of mental health problems. The book has eight chapters which discuss the following subjects: why Asian Americans should be studied; patterns of disturbance and use of mental health services; cultural issues in recognizing symptoms and identifying disturbed persons; the Asian American family; personality, sex-role conflicts and ethnic identity; improving intervention and treatment; and future directions for Asian American mental health. In each chapter the author reviews and criticizes the research to date these subjects. The author's conclusions include: 1) the rate of mental disorders among Asian Americans has been underestimated; 2) the expression of symptoms is influenced by culture; and 3) the Asian American family has both positive and negative effects on mental health. While the author only briefly mentions the special problems of Asian American refugees, the mental health issues discussed in the book are applicable to all Asian American immigrants, including refugees.