The authors examined the relationship of demographic, clinical, and service program factors with preintake attrition rates, or the nonattendance of intake appointments, among 5 Asian American groups at an ethnic-specific program. The results show that younger age, earlier appointment, Asian language match with the prescreening interviewer, and assignment of the prescreening interviewer as the intake therapist increased; however, gender match with prescreening interviewer decreased-the likelihood of intake attendance. As hypothesized, Southeast Asians (Cambodian, Iu Mien, and Vietnamese Americans to a lesser degree) reported higher intake attendance rates than more established East Asian groups (Chinese and Korean Americans). Specific implications of these results to program evaluation and to development and improvements in service delivery to Asian American groups are discussed.

This study investigated psychosocial correlates of self-reported internment coping among Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II. Economic, physical, emotional, and total coping were assessed in relation to demographics, distal internment characteristics (age interned and length of internment), proximal internment variables (internment talk with parents, negative internment communications and emotions, in-group preference and associations), and individual personality variables (self-esteem and locus of control). Although relationships with distal variables were nonsignificant, proximal variables of negative communications and emotions and preference for Japanese Americans were significantly associated with coping reports. Self-esteem, locus of control, and income were partial mediators of internment coping ratings. Findings are discussed in relation to the complexities of assessing long-term coping responses to historical trauma.

This study examined the relationship of demographic, clinical, and therapist factors to decisions about prioritized assignment to the earliest intake appointment for 983 Asian Americans who contacted an Asian-oriented, ethnic-specific mental health program. The logistic regression results showed that Asian language preference, ethnicity, suicidality, violent behavior, physical and sexual abuse, and psychotic symptoms increased the likelihood of a prioritized decision for the earliest intake appointment but that being female, being of an older age, and having somatic complaints decreased the likelihood. Given these findings, Asian American clinicians at an ethnic-specific program were found to consider clinical, demographic, and ethnically related factors in prioritized decisions about intake assignment, which could improve intake attendance.

The majority of research on groups and organizations has focused on the negative consequences of organizational life, but few studies have focused on how positive traits and qualities, such as hope, may impact groups. In this study we examined the relationship between hope, organizational cynicism and global job performance. All full-time employees (n = 95) of an educational institution were surveyed using existing scales for organizational cynicism (alpha = 0.94), hope (alpha = 0.87), and global job satisfaction (alpha = 0.87). Hierarchical regression confirmed existing research and suggested a negative relationship between organizational cynicism and job satisfaction (p < 0.001), and also provided evidence of a positive relationship between hope and job satisfaction (p < 0.05). Follow-up analysis showed hope partially mediated the negative relationship between organizational cynicism and global job satisfaction (p < 0.01). This study contributes to the existing literature by discovering a positive relationship between hope and job satisfaction, as well as evidence of partial mediation in regards to organizational cynicism. Hope, which has been characterized as both a state of mind and a personal trait, appears to counter the negative effects of organizational cynicism. This suggests hope may allow individuals a means to address negative workplace attitudes and conditions.

This study examines the relationship of client demographic, clinical, client-therapist match, and service program factors to the rate of pre-intake attrition or the non-attendance of intake appointments for 236 Asian American children and adolescents (18 years and younger) at an Asian-oriented ethnic-specific mental health program. The results showed that urgency status or the need for the earliest intake appointment, ethnic match with the prescreening interviewer, and the assignment of the prescreening interviewer as the intake therapist were significantly related to attendance of intake appointments for Asian American children and adolescents. In contrast, older age was found to reduce the likelihood of intake attendance for Asian American youth clients. Specific implications of these results to program evaluation and service improvements in mental health care delivery to Asian American youth groups will be discussed.