| Chinese Americans are the largest subgroup of the fast-growing Asian American population in the U.S. and many are in need of mental health services. However, this subgroup underutilizes mental health services and often delays seeking treatment for mental health issues leading to greater acuity and family problems (Lin & Cheung, 1999). This qualitative study used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to conduct in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 11 Chinese American mental health providers from a major metropolitan area who had extensive experience working with ethnic Chinese American patients. The study drew on the experience of these clinicians to identity the factors that influenced their Chinese American patients to seek mental health treatment and explored their use of these services. The purpose of the study was to understand, from the viewpoint of these psychotherapists, the pathways to care for these patients, including the barriers that prevent their utilization of mental health services and the factors that motivate them to seek help and facilitate their utilization of mental health services.;Sixteen themes emerged from the data analysis of the interview transcripts and these were grouped into seven categories: (a) participants' educational background and work experience, (b) conditions under which Chinese Americans seek mental health services, (c) factors that influence or prevent Chinese Americans from seeking treatment, (d) patients' treatment expectations and preference, (e) ways of engaging patients in treatment, (f) challenges and rewards of working with Chinese American patients, and (g) participants' suggestions for improving the care of Chinese American patients.;The results of this study suggest that mental health professionals need to be aware of Chinese American patients' cultural barriers and some of the practical obstacles that undermine their seeking of mental health services. Furthermore, the study identified a number of suggestions for more effective treatment, clinician training and improved services that might better encourage and motivate Chinese Americans to seek mental health treatment earlier and to remain in treatment longer leading to better outcomes. Strengths and limitations of the study and suggestions for future research were also presented. |
