title: Japanese American response to psychological disorder: referral patterns, attitudes, and subjective norms.
abstract: The underutilization of services by Japanese Americans has raised questions as to the variables that account for this phenomenon. The present study examined the referral patterns and their bases using the Fishbein-Ajzen model of attitude-behavior relationships. Vignettes describing disorders were each responded to by 106 Japanese Americans. Results indicated that self resources were the most commonly mentioned referral across disorders and generations, and that mental health resources only occasionally crossed the person's mind. Attitudes were as favorable for psychologists as preferred intentions though subjective norms were less favorable for psychologists. More severe disorders yielded more favorable attitudes and more permissible social norms than disorders of a lesser degree. These data suggest implementing mental health education programs in Japanese-American and other Asian-Pacific communities to increase service utilization by increasing awareness of mental health personnel as resources and to increase social norms in support thereof.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States