Oppressive ideologies instilled through Spanish and United States colonization of the Philippines have influenced Filipino American values. In particular, the combination of patriarchic and racist ideologies stemming from colonization has contributed to Filipina Americans' internalization of such oppression despite the years separating them from colonization. This study examined the relationship between colonized thinking and Filipina Americans' experiences of sexist and racist oppression. Separate multiple regression models were developed to examine the relationship between the manifestations of colonial mentality with experiences of sexist discrimination (N ϭ 137) and with racist discrimination (N ϭ 124). Both regression models were found to be significant with 1 factor, internalized cultural and ethnic inferiority, as a unique contributor. Colonial debt also served as an important predictor in the variability of experiences of sexist discrimination.

Community-based research shows that 22% of Filipino Americans report experiencing at least one form of partner abuse (PA) during their lifetime, a higher prevalence rate than those documented among other Asian ethnic groups (Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, 2018). Victims with support resources are less likely to experience negative health outcomes and revictimization, and one of the most important sources of support is family and friends (Coker, Watkins, Smith, & Brandt, 2003). The vast majority of PA victims disclose first to family and friends and turn to them most for informal support (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). There is little research, however, that has involved asking family and friends directly about how they responded to loved ones involved in abusive intimate partnerships. The purpose of this study was to explore in depth family members’ and friends’ responses to Filipino loved ones involved in PA relationships. We used a constructivist–interpretivist research paradigm and phenomenological methods to conduct 29 in-depth interviews with family members and friends. Findings indicate that participants considered it important to respond in ways that allowed them to maintain their connection with loved ones and support their welfare, and 2 types of response categories emerged: communication responses and actions taken. Findings illuminate the importance of working collaboratively with family and friends to cocreate definitions of PA as well as identify PA responses that consider a collective perspective on individual well-being and address the dynamic relationship, social, and cultural contexts in which family and friends respond.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between mental health outcomes, internalized heterosexism, and perceived racism on connection to the LGBTQϩ community. Responses from a diverse sample of LGBTQϩ participants of color (N ϭ 665) were gathered and analyzed. A t test revealed that the monoracial and multiracial participants did not differ in regard to internalized heterosexism, though the two racial groups differed in regard to depression. A hierarchical linear regression analysis explored the unique links of depression, anxiety, internalized heterosexism, perceived racism, and the interaction of internalized heterosexism and perceived racism, with connection to the LGBTQϩ community. Internalized heterosexism was a significant and notable contribution to the variability of LGBTQϩ community connection for both racial groups. Future research should further explore racism within the LGBTQϩ community, and greater attention should be paid to the nuanced experiences of multiracial LGBTQϩ people. Public Significance StatementThe study recognizes the differences between monoracial and multiracial LGBTQϩ racial groups in their experiences with mental health outcomes, internalized heterosexism, perceived racism, and connection to the LGBTQϩ communities. Multriacial LGBTQϩ people show a unique and nuanced relationship to the LGBTQϩ community informed by the interactive effects of internalized heterosexism with perceived racism.

While the concept of colonial mentality (CM; David & Okazaki, 2006a) has been well examined in the literature, little is understood about addressing CM in a clinical setting. The aim of this study is to examine a relationship between CM and psychological flexibility (PF; Hayes et al., 2013), with the hope of establishing acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) as a clinically relevant theoretical orientation for addressing CM. Filipinx American participants (N = 856) completed online questionnaires regarding CM and PF. The study used a series of linear regressions to understand the predictive relationship between CM and PF. Results of the study suggest that there is a relationship between CM and PF, although the size of the effects was small. As expected, higher levels of CM were related to lower levels of PF. Higher levels of physical characteristics on the Colonial Mentality Scale (CMS; David & Okazaki, 2006b) predicted higher levels of cognitive fusion. Participants that endorsed higher levels of within-group discrimination also reported higher levels of experiential avoidance. Higher scores of cultural/ethnic inferiority predicted higher levels of self-as-content. A predictive relationship was established between CM and PF, suggesting that the concept of PF and ACT may be clinically relevant when working with the Filipinx population.

Partner abuse (PA) continues to be one of the most critical human rights and public health issues of our time (UNICEF, Facts and figures: Ending violence against women, 2014). Communities that experience oppression are most at-risk. Social networks, however, are a key target for PA prevention and intervention. One of the most important sources of support for individuals experiencing PA is family and friends (Coker et al., 2003). The vast majority of PA victims, for example, disclose first to family and friends and turn to them most for informal support (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Scholars have conducted few studies with family and friends directly to understand what factors influence how they respond to PA. Our study purpose was to expand on Chronister et al.'s (2020) findings by identifying what contextual and cultural factors affected, how family members and friends responded to their Filipino loved ones involved in PA relationships. We used a constructivist-interpretivist research paradigm and phenomenological methods to conduct 29 in-depth interviews with family members and friends. The factors that influenced how participants responded included their understanding of PA and its mental health impact; their emotional and physical safety and the safety of their loved ones; cultural scripts; the availability of culturally appropriate responses and services; and interpersonal relationship contexts. Identification of these factors brought to light prominent Filipino values and psychological concepts; the challenges that intersections among cultural values as well as age, generation status, and acculturation posed for participants; and the desperate need for health care and social service systems that work for Filipinos.