Guided by an integrative contextual framework of immigrant youth development (García Coll & Marks, 2012), this study investigated the potential role of developmental (e.g., ethnic identity) and contextual factors (e.g., perceived discrimination, stereotyping) in mental health outcomes and help-seeking attitudes, and variations across gender and nativity among Asian American college students. Online surveys assessing perceived subtle and blatant racism, ethnic identity, the internalization of the model minority stereotype, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and attitudes toward seeking help from mental health professionals were administered to Asian American college student participants (n = 465) from diverse ethnic backgrounds and geographic regions in the United States. The findings support prior research indicating that perceived subtle racism and blatant racism are positively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. Further, only certain dimensions of ethnic identity and internalization of the model minority stereotype were found to be associated with mental health outcomes and help-seeking attitudes. The findings did not indicate a significant association between perceived racism and help-seeking attitudes. There were also no significant differences in the relationships among variables across gender and nativity, with the exception of the association between ethnic identity and help-seeking attitudes across gender. The study identified potential risk and protective factors in mental health, while underscoring the multidimensional aspects of social and contextual factors that contribute to mental health and help seeking among Asian American college students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
BACKGROUND
Traumatic exposure combined with significant stressors in resettlement place Bhutanese refugees at risk for mental health problems. Despite this, refugee youth often are reluctant to seek mental health services. Psychosocial support services, such as school‐based groups, offer one solution to this barrier to care. We had 2 aims in this study: (1) to describe the psychosocial needs of resettled Bhutanese refugee students; and (2) to evaluate the impact of skills‐based groups on these students' sense of school belonging and mental health.
METHODS
Bhutanese refugee students in middle school (N = 34) participated in the 12‐week group curriculum (a component of Trauma Systems Therapy for Refugees) and the associated preevaluation/postevaluation.
RESULTS
Baseline descriptive analyses indicated high levels of mental health symptoms; approximately, 49% of students met partial or full criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. In addition, sense of school belonging was significantly inversely associated with depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms at baseline. Paired sample t tests indicate that students' avoidance symptoms significantly decreased postintervention.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that skills‐based groups may be an effective way to engage students in supportive services and address psychosocial needs. Results further highlight the potential protective role of school belonging in reducing refugee students' vulnerability to psychological distress.
This study examined racial/ethnic disparities in three core postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms, and identified specific predictors of PPD including sociodemographic variables, life stressors and maternal employment. White, African American, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander women from the New York City area (n = 3010) completed the 2009-2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. African American women were less likely to have PPD than White women. Maternal employment during the postpartum was associated with an increased likelihood of PPD for White women relative to women who were not employed. Life stressors and maternal employment should be considered as culturally contextualized factors related to postpartum depression.
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