title: Why bother with beliefs? Examining relationships between race/ethnicity, parental beliefs about causes of child problems, and mental health service use.
abstract: In this study, the authors examined the role of parental beliefs about the causes of child problems in predicting later mental health service use in a large, diverse population of at-risk youths. Study hypotheses were that parental beliefs consistent with biopsychosocial causes would be associated with later mental health service use; sociological, spiritual, or nature disharmony etiologies would be negatively associated with service use; and beliefs would partially mediate the relationship between race/ethnicity and service use. Of the 5 biopsychosocial beliefs, 2 were positively related to later mental health service use. Unexpectedly, of the 6 parental beliefs related to sociological, spiritual, or nature disharmony etiologies, only 1 was negatively associated with later service use patterns. Parental endorsement of etiologies relating to physical causes, relational issues, trauma, and prejudice was found to partially mediate the relationship between race/ethnicity and service use for Asian/Pacific Islander American and Latino youths. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).
authors.affiliation: Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92123, USA. myeh@casrc.org
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hough
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Fatmé
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fakhry
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D035841:Behavioral Research; D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011593:Psychology, Social; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012962:Sociology, Medical; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population