Keywords
acculturation, mental health, college students, asian, attitudes, behaviors
Abstract
Asian Americans are known as the “model minority” in the United States. “Model minority” refers to the pressure to be perfect and self-sufficient daily. This pressure contributes to a negative perception of mental health services, particularly among Asian American college students. Despite being at elevated risk for mental health challenges, these students tend to underutilize mental health help-seeking. However, limited research explores this underutilization.
This study aimed to understand the roles of acculturation on the attitudes and behaviors toward the use of mental health help-seeking amongst Asian American college students. Using a cross-sectional study design, data was collected from 32 self-identified Asian American college students at the University of Central Florida (UCF), all over the age of 18. Participants completed an anonymous Qualtrics survey assessing demographics (eg. age, gender), cultural identity, acculturation, depression, anxiety, and attitudes and behaviors related to mental health help-seeking.
Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS. Descriptive analyses looked at participant characteristics, while bivariate analyses (Chi-square and Fischer’s exact tests) examined the relationships between acculturation, mental health symptoms, and mental health help-seeking behaviors and attitudes.
Results indicated that there are no significant associations found between acculturation and informal or formal mental health help-seeking attitudes, as well as informal mental health help-seeking behaviors lifetime and formal mental health help-seeking behaviors lifetime. Additionally, anxiety and depressive symptoms had no statistically significant associations with informal and formal mental health help-seeking attitudes, as well as informal and formal mental health help-seeking behaviors lifetime.
Due to the lack of statistically significant association between mental health symptoms and mental health help-seeking attitudes and behaviors, there is a need for future research to look at other cultural, psychological, and structural factors. These efforts are necessary to develop more culturally competent and accessible mental health services tailored to each Asian American college student.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Spring
Thesis Chair
Wang, Xiaochuan
College
College of Health Professions and Sciences
Department
Social Work
Thesis Discipline
Social Work
Language
English
Access Status
Campus Access
Length of Campus Access
5 years
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Kang, Sora, "How Specific Factors Of Acculturation Affect Mental Health Help-Seeking Attitudes And Behaviors Among Asian American College Students" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 288.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/288
Rights Statement
