It is well documented that Asian Americans exhibit the lowest utilization rates of mental health services compared to the general population. Despite the infrequent use of mental health services, the Asian American community demonstrates a need for such services. The majority of research on Asian Americans and mental health have primarily focused on identifying cultural factors associated with underuse, but limited research exists to explain how culture affects mental health and the ways in which culture influences the process of illness. This review examines culture's dynamic influence on the development, progression, and treatment of mental illness for Asian Americans and recommends strategies to improve outreach and delivery of services.

Objective: This systematic review aims to comprehensively analyze the different themes of barriers that contribute to the underutilization of mental health services among Asian Americans living in the United States. Design: Systematic literature review. Methods: Nine databases were used to collect peer-reviewed articles to analyze mental health service utilization among Asian Americans. Inclusion criteria: (a) peer-reviewed articles that were published between 2001 and 2021; (b) studies that recognized the different barriers to mental health utilization among Asian Americans living in the United States; and (c) articles must be written and published in the English language. Results: Three main themes were identified as the barriers to the utilization of mental health services among Asian Americans, namely: (1) Cultural stigma, (2) different values and beliefs in the community, and (3) lack of knowledge regarding mental health services. Conclusion: Most findings reveal that the Asian American community responds to mental health issues depending on individual cultural beliefs. Although mental health services usage among Asian Americans is slowly increasing, it is essential to continue educating about mental health awareness, seeking professional services, and changing cultural perceptions.

This widely adopted text synthesizes an extensive body of research on Asian American personality development, identity, and mental health. Uba focuses on how ethnocultural factors interact with minority group status to shape the experiences of members of diverse Asian American groups. Cultural values and norms shared by many Asian Americans are examined and common sources of stress described, including racial discrimination and immigrant and refugee experiences. Rates of mental health problems in Asian American communities are reviewed, as are predictors and manifestations of specific disorders. The volume also explores patterns in usage of available mental health services and considers ways that service delivery models might be adapted to better meet the needs of Asian American clients.

Asian American Mental Health is a state-of-the-art compendium of the conceptual issues, empirical literature, methodological approaches, and practice guidelines for conducting culturally informed assessments of Asian Americans, and for assessing provider cultural competency within individuals and systems. It is the first of its kind on Asian Americans. This volume draws upon the expertise of many of the leading experts in Asian American and multicultural mental health to provide a much needed resource for students and professionals in a wide range of disciplines including clinical psychology, medical anthropology, psychiatry, cross-cultural psychology, multicultural counseling, ethnic minority psychology, sociology, social work, counselor education, counseling psychology, and more.

There have been significant advances in research on Asian American mental health within the past decade. This chapter discusses resources and strategies for conducting culturally responsive assessment and treatment with Asian Americans that highlight the theories and knowledge gained since the publication of the previous edition of this Handbook in 2000. The first section on assessment discusses race, immigration, and culture-related factors that affect the phenomenology of distress among Asian Americans. The second section on treatment discusses theories and evidence regarding factors that increase therapeutic credibility as well as the recent advances in applying evidence-based treatment with Asian Americans.