Handbook of Mental Health and Acculturation in Asian American Families / Edition 1

by Nhi-ha Trinh, Yanni Chun Rho, Francis G. Lu, Kathy Marie Sanders

Overview

Asian Americans are the fastest growing minority group in the United States. When Asian immigrants arrive in the United States, they regularly encounter a vast number of difficulties integrating themselves into their new culture. In Handbook of Mental Health and Acculturation in Asian American Families, distinguished researchers and clinicians discuss the process of acculturation for individuals and their families, addressing the mental health needs of Asian Americans and thoroughly examining the acculturative process, its common stressors, and characteristics associated with resiliency. This first-of-its-kind, multi-dimensional title synthesizes current acculturation research, while presenting those concepts within a clinical framework. In addition to providing an in-depth look at both past and present research and offering directions for future topics to explore, the book also offers a range of practical tools such as research scales to measure levels of acculturation, interview techniques, and clinical approaches for special populations including children, the elderly, and their families. Thought-provoking and informative, Handbook of Mental Health and Acculturation in Asian American Families will enhance the understanding of the clinical and sociocultural problems Asian Americans face, providing clinicians with all the necessary insights to better care for their patients.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603274364
Publisher:	Springer-Verlag New York, LLC
Publication date:	02/05/2009
Series:	Current Clinical Psychiatry
Edition description:	2009
Pages:	210
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Research on Acculturation in Asian American Mental Health.- Acculturation: Measurements and Review of Findings.- Theories and Research on Acculturation and Enculturation Experiences among Asian American Families.- Strengthening Intergenerational/Intercultural Ties in Immigrant Families (SITIF): A Parenting Intervention to Bridge the Chinese American Intergenerational Acculturation Gap.- Acculturation: Recommendations for Future Research.- Clinical Insights on Acculturation in Asian American Mental Health.- The Impact of Immigration and Acculturation on the Mental Health of Asian Americans: Overview of Epidemiology and Clinical Implications.- Assessing Asian American Family Acculturation in Clinical Settings: Guidelines and Recommendations for Mental Health Professionals.- The A-B-C in Clinical Practice with Southeast Asians: Basic Understanding of Migration and Resettlement History.- Clinical Considerations When Working with Asian American Children and Adolescents.- Acculturation and Asian American Elderly.- Clinical Insights from Working with Immigrant Asian Americans and Their Families: Focus on Acculturation Stressors.- Conclusion.- Erratum.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Thanh Thai, MD (Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This multiauthored book explores how the process of acculturation affects the mental health of Asian Americans. It uses both research and practical clinical insights to help mental health professionals understand the specific mental health needs that may arise during acculturation.
Purpose: The purpose is to help mental health clinicians better understand the ways in which the process of acculturation directly influences the mental health of the Asian American community. The development of thorough assessment and treatment plans for patients requires the integration of a culturally relevant perspective that takes into account how patients experience their world. This perspective includes understanding the process of acculturation, and the authors seek to explore the research and clinical implications of this perspective as applied to the Asian American experience.
Audience: Although mental health clinicians are the intended audience, most clinicians, particularly those in primary care who serve as the first access point for patients into the American medical system, would find this handbook clinically useful. While the book focuses on the Asian American experience, the exploration of the effects of acculturation on mental health is applicable to other populations. Furthermore, the authors' exploration of the research implications makes this book useful for researchers in the field, and may therefore lead to better understanding of acculturation effects on other populations.
Features: The first of the book's two parts focuses on research into acculturation in Asian American mental health and has information pertaining to both research methodology (i.e., measurement tools) as well as epidemiological data. The second part focuses on clinical implications of acculturation, with chapters exploring the impact of migration and resettlement while focusing on specific populations such as children, adolescents, and the elderly.
Assessment: This handbook contains clinically relevant material to help clinicians better understand the affects of acculturation on the mental health of Asian Americans. The information can be helpful for understanding the specific difficulties that these patients experience, whether as refugee with PTSD or as part of an intergenerational conflict in an immigrant family. Furthermore, the research implications can help the exploration of similar issues in other populations. As such, this handbook can be useful to mental health professionals as well as primary care providers and researchers.

Doody's Review Service

From the reviews:

"This multiauthored book explores how the process of acculturation affects the mental health of Asian Americans. … most clinicians, particularly those in primary care who serve as the first access point for patients into the American medical system, would find this handbook clinically useful. … the authors’ exploration of the research implications makes this book useful for researchers in the field … . this handbook can be useful to mental health professionals as well as primary care providers and researchers." (Thanh Thai, Doody’s Review Service, September, 2009)

From the Publisher