The Influence of Societal, Cultural, and Personal Attitudes on the Mental Health of Asian American Women Working In Male Dominated Fields

The purpose of the current project is to better understand societal, cultural, and personal attitudes that affect the mental health of Asian American women working in male dominated workplaces. The proposed study will examine how depression and suicidal ideation can result from the combination of familial and cultural expectations that Asian American women experience both in their personal lives and their work related environments. Women place more importance on their social relationships so it can lead to psychological distress and even a diagnosable mental disorder (Sangalang & Gee, 2012). It is less likely for individuals of the Asian American culture to seek mental health services due to social stigma. Families of the Asian American culture are likely to disapprove of family members that seek mental health services due to social stigma and cultural values (Ka Yan Cheng, et al., 2010). The level of family communication and support contribute to an individual’s mental state and can either relieve stress or act as a source of stress. Higher levels of family conflict and discrimination are associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among Asian Americans (Hahm, Jang, Vu, Alexander, Driscoll, & Lundgren, 2013). A sample of community-based health practitioners will be interviewed in order to better understand the stressors their clients experience and their reasoning for seeking treatment. These qualitative interviews will allow for the development of modified treatments that will better assist Asian American women who are coping with depression or suicidal ideation