Acculturation, enculturation and help-seeking preferences and beliefs model for Asian Indian international students

Abstract

Relationships among acculturation, enculturation, help-seeking beliefs, and help-seeking preferences (HSP) of Asian Indian international graduate students in the United States were investigated. Findings from a qualitative pilot study involving 24 of these students suggested participants preferred seeking psychological help from a family member, close friend, and mental health professional (counselor/therapist) for personal problems. These helper preferences were incorporated into the Tendency to Seek Help scale (TSH; Brown & Tinsley, 1982) to improve the measure’s relevance to Asian Indian graduate students. In another pilot study, five experts in the targeted variables completed the Systematic Test of Equivalence Procedure (Gerstein, 2018). Results were utilized to improve the cross-cultural validity of the Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AAMAS; Gim Chung, Kim, & Abreu, 2004), the revised TSH (R-TSH; Brown & Tinsley, 1982), and the Beliefs About Psychological Services Scale (BAPS; Ægisdó ttir & Gerstein, 2009) for use with these students. In the main study, 274 Asian Indian international graduate students completed the scales just mentioned. A significant relationship between participants’ acculturation and enculturation responses was found. Further, results of path analyses indicated intent to seek mental health assistance, stigma tolerance linked to seeking such assistance, and the expertness of the helper did not mediate the association between acculturation, enculturation, and HSP from close friends and family members. Finally, findings from another path analysis revealed intent, stigma tolerance, and expertness fully mediated the relationships among acculturation, enculturation and HSP from a mental health professional. Implications for research and outreach services of university counseling centers are discussed.