Treatment Expectations and Treatment Experience of Chinese Families Towards Family Therapy: appraisal of a common belief

Abstract

This paper reports results of a qualitative study on family therapy conducted in Hong Kong, which aims to identify Chinese families’ treatment expectations, delineate their subjective experience and the outcome in treatment. By comparing the expectations, the experience and the outcome, this study examines and challenges the belief that the practice of family therapy should necessarily be fundamentally adapted to be ‘culture‐specific’, an assumption that has hitherto been untested and possibly based on overgeneralized cultural stereotyping. This study provides empirical evidence for family therapists who have interests in working with local and overseas Chinese families to improve their practice.

Marital Therapy in Mainland China: A Qualitative Study of Young Adults' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs

“…Given the limited knowledge about psychotherapy in general, and marital therapy in particular, our participants likely draw from their experience with medical professions and the expert stance that is common in the doctor-patient relationship. Whether or not Chinese families Ma (2000) interviewed client's who participated in four to twenty therapy sessions that utilized a structural family therapy framework. Despite their expectations that therapy be primarily educational and that the therapist serve as the "teacher," the clients overwhelmingly reported that therapy was beneficial and that engagement with each other, through the traditional structural technique of enactments, was beneficial in the change process.…”

Effect of Acculturation on Parental Perception of Child Psychological Assessment Among Chinese Americans

“…As a result of the hierarchical relationship being stressed, Asian clients in general expect the mental health professional to be a "teacher" (Ma, 2000)or an "expert" (Mau & Jepsen, 1988). They are expected to be educated and directed by the professionals.…”

“…Thus, less acculturated Chinese American parent will perceive the feedback session of the information gathering model more comfortable as the feedback session does not usually encourage parental input, while highly acculturated parents will perceive it as relatively less comfortable. Rationale: Asians usually view assessor--client relationship as hierarchical, in which mental health professionals are seen as teachers or experts (Ma, 2000;Mau & Jepsen, 1988). Less acculturated Chinese American parent might perceive the written feedback in a form of formal report as more appealing and professional, thus a higher perceived comfort level.…”

“…In addition, it has been found that they expect the therapist to play the role of a teacher or expert (Ma, 2000). These characteristics of Asian culture values impact the experience towards psychological assessment among Asians.…”

“…This study will examine the relations between acculturation and perception of assessment models In general, many Asian cultures consider the display of emotion or psychological concern as a significant weakness and feel that this would bring shame to one's family (Sue & Sue, 2008). In addition, it has been found that they expect the therapist to play the role of a teacher or expert (Ma, 2000). These characteristics of Asian culture values impact the experience towards psychological assessment among Asians.…”