Experiences of Social Support Among Chinese Immigrant Mental Health Consumers with Psychosis.
Limited research has investigated how culture impacts expressions of social support, which is crucial in developing culturally sensitive care. Using a classification based on theories of social support, we examined the social support experiences of 49 Chinese immigrant mental health consumers with psychosis, paying particular attention to frequency and sources. We found that the most common forms of social support were belonging and companionship, perceived emotional support, social control, and perceived instrumental support, while self-esteem and sense of mastery were the least common forms. Family and friends were the main sources of support. These results demonstrate the influence of Confucian values of renqing (or fulfillment of relational obligations) and guanxi (or social networks) and the negative effects of stigma in diminishing the social standing of these consumers by compromising 'personhood.' Clinical implications for increasing the cultural competency of clinicians and improving the mental health outcomes of Chinese immigrants are discussed.
Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
Zhen Hadassah
ZH
Cheng
Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
Ming-Che
MC
Tu
Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA. Lhy2001@cumc.columbia.edu.
Lawrence Hsin
LH
Yang
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003469:Culture; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012926:Social Control, Formal; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States
Chinese immigrants; Cultural competency; Forms of social support; Mental health