Perceptions of mental illness and attitude toward seeking professional psychological help among Korean clergymen in America

This study examines how Korean American clergymen's religiosity, age, education, length of U.S. residence, and length of ministry affected their perceptions of mental illness and their attitude toward seeking professional psychological help (N = 90). The results indicate that Korean clergymen showed higher religiosity, which affected perception of mental illness and their attitude toward seeking professional psychological help negatively. Korean clergymen/women in Northern California with higher religiosity tend to have more negative perceptions of mental illness principles in psychiatry and more negative attitude toward seeking professional psychological help due to their religious belief, and values. Korean clergymen's age was positively related with their perceptions of mental illness and attitude toward seeking professional psychological help. As age of Korean clergymen/women increases, they are more positive to accept mental illness principles in psychiatry and more positive attitude toward seeking professional psychological help. Education was positively related with their attitude toward seeking professional psychological help, but it is not related with perceptions of mental illness. As level of education of Korean clergymen/women increases, they tend to have more positive attitude toward seeking professional psychological help, but their education level did not show strong relationship with their perceptions of mental illness principles in psychiatry. The rest of the demographic variables such as length of U.S residence and length of ministry do not show strong relationships in regards to their perceptions of mental illness and their attitude toward seeking professional psychological help. Religiosity and age were shown to be the best predictors of the attitude toward seeking professional psychological help.