Department

Counseling and Human Services

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Date of Award

10-2024

Format

pdf

Degree Level

Ph.D.

LCSH subject

Acculturation -- Indians(East Indians) -- United States; Indians(East Indians) -- Attitudes -- United States; Indians(East Indians) -- United States

Medium

manuscript

Identifier

31632468

Size or duration

199 pages

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Montilla, Romulo Esteban

Second Advisor

Moon, Jiyoung

Third Advisor

Baby, Anish

Abstract

Acculturation experience and attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Asian Indian Americans, an ethnic minority group, are predominantly underrepresented in current literature despite their increasing number in the United States. The purpose of this study was to assess the acculturation experience of Asian Indian Americans and their attitude toward seeking mental health services, and to explore the relationship between acculturation levels and attitudes toward seeking mental health services. I used a quantitative research design to conduct this study. I employed an online survey through Qualtrics. The participants (n = 568) constituted a probability sample recruited from Indian-based Christian churches and Asian Indian associations in the United States by simple random sampling. The results indicated that Asian Indian Americans adopted a pattern of selective acculturation in which they maintained their Asian Indian cultural heritage while adapting to the mainstream European American culture in varying degrees. As participants reported a high propensity to seek help when needed, they also demonstrated lower levels of psychological openness and higher sensitivity to stigma. The study also indicated that demographic factors, including sex, age, birthplace, and time of arrival, significantly influence acculturation levels. The multiple regression analysis revealed the dimensions of acculturation, suggesting a weak correlation between the predictor variables (i.e., v Culture of Origin and European American Culture) and the dependent variable (i.e., Inventory of Attitudes toward Seeking Mental Health Services total score).

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