Defining intimacy in diverse Asian cultures

America has continued to diversify as a nation, welcoming people from every race, culture and continent. The US Census Bureau (2004) reported that there were 13.5 million Asians in America and these numbers are increasing (US Census Bureau, 2004). This indicates that there is a greater demand for competent and effective mental health care to meet the needs of this heterogeneous group. Asian Americans can be best helped by a therapist who is sensitive, knowledgeable and has an understanding about the core values which are present in many Asian cultures. There are limited resources and treatment guides for this population due to failure to recruit participants in research studies and high drop-out rates. Sources of information are both narrow in its focus and scarce. In efforts to add to a more complete understanding for use in couple treatment, a literature review was utilized to compile, analyze and explore unique aspects within Asian culture. Six themes emerged as consistent elements throughout the literature in various Asian populations. This study delineates these themes and proposed treatment strategies to address them within a couple therapy format