Asian American High School Students' Views on Mental Health and the Use of Mental Health Services

Numerous years of research show there are racial and ethnic disparities in the quality, access, use, and completion of mental health services (MHS). The National Institute of Mental Health reports one in five individuals between the ages of 13 and 18 have or will have a serious mental condition and that half of all cases begin by the age of 14 (n.d.). In addition, half of all students 14 years of age or older with mental illness drop out of high school. According to the American Psychiatric Association, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the least likely populations to seek help for mental health issues (2007). The purpose of this study was to research the affect Asian American students' personal histories had on their willingness to seek and use mental health services as many youth do not receive appropriate MHS and delayed treatment only makes the issues worse. A sample of 28 Asian American students, ages 14 to 18, who attended a high school in a middle- to upper-class California city completed questionnaires regarding their background information and experiences with mental health services. The researcher hypothesized that Asian American students who were raised in more traditional Asian homes and/or recently emigrated to America would hold more closed views on mental health issues and services (e.g., these issues are not discussed in public, they are kept personal and are addressed through the family). Statistical analysis suggested foreign-born students and students with foreign-born parents were more likely to seek and use services compared to US-born students and students with US-born parents. The data also suggested that as the participant's age and years spent living in the USA and California increased, his or her willingness to seek and use mental health services decreased.