Community Mental Health Journal

, Volume 29, Issue 5, pp 405–412 | Cite as

Conceptualization of mental illness among Korean-American clergymen and implications for mental health service delivery

  • Mikyong Kim-Goh
Articles

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between conceptualization of mental illness and referral intent among 50 Korean-American clergymen. Subjects are presented vignettes depicting depression, psychotic symptoms with religious delusions, and psychotic symptoms with persecutory delusions. The vignettes are followed by questions assessing problem conceptualization, cause attribution, and referral intent of mental health treatment. Respondents with a psychological conceptualization are significantly more willing to make a referral than are those who hold a religious conceptualization. Implications for effective utilization of the clergy as a mental health resource are discussed.

Keywords

Public Health Mental Health Health Service Mental Illness Mental Health Service 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Cheung, F.K., & Snowden, L.R. (1990). Community mental health and ethnic minority populations.Community Mental Health Journal, 26(3), 277–291.Google Scholar
  2. Cheung, F.M. (1987). Conceptualization of psychiatric illness and help-seeking behavior among Chinese.Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 11, 97–106.Google Scholar
  3. Chien, C.P., & Yamamoto, J. (1982). Asian-American and Pacific-Islander patients. In F.X. Acosta, J. Yamamoto, & L.A. Evans (Eds.),Effective Psychotherapy for Low-Income and Minority Patients, pp. 117–145. New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
  4. Choy, B.Y. (1979).Koreans in America. Chicago: Nelson-Hall.Google Scholar
  5. Dearman, M. (1982). Structure and function of religion in the Los Angeles Korean community: Some aspects. In E.Y. Yu, E.H. Phillips & E.S. Yang (Eds.),Koreans in Los Angeles: Prospects and Promises, pp. 165–183. Los Angeles: The Center for Korean-American and Korean Studies.Google Scholar
  6. Dohrenwend, B. (1978). Social stress and community psychology.American Journal of Community Psychology, 6, 1–14.Google Scholar
  7. Flaskerud, J.H., & Liu, P.Y. (1991). Effects of an Asian client-therapist language, ethnicity and gender match on utilization and outcome of therapy.Community Mental Health Journal, 27(1), 31–42.Google Scholar
  8. Hurh, W.M., & Kim, K.C. (1984).Korean Immigrants in America. Cranbury, N.J.: Associated University Presses.Google Scholar
  9. Kim, B.L. (1980).The Korean-American Child at School and at Home, Project report. A project funded by Administration for Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Dept. of HEW.Google Scholar
  10. Kleinman, A.M. (1980).Patients and Healers in the Context of Culture: An Exploration of the Borderland Between Anthropology, Medicine and Psychiatry. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
  11. Korean Business Directory: 1987–1988 (1987). Los Angeles: The Korea Times.Google Scholar
  12. Kuo, W. (1984). Prevalence of depression among Asian-Americans.The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 172(8), 449–457.Google Scholar
  13. Lam, J., Fung, D., Yamamoto, J., & Lo, S.N. (1980). Organizing mental health services for Asian-Americans. Paper presented at the Second Pacific Congress of Psychiatry in Manila, Philippines.Google Scholar
  14. Lee, C.K., Kwak, Y.S., Yamamoto, J., Rhee, H., Kim, Y.S., Han, J.H., Choi, J.O., & Lee, Y.H. (1990a). Psychiatric epidemiology in Korea Part I: Gender and age differences in Seoul.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 178(4), 242–246.Google Scholar
  15. Lee, C.K., Kwak, Y.S., Yamamoto, J., Rhee, H., Kim, Y.S., Han, J.H., Choi, J.O., & Lee, Y.H. (1990b). Psychiatric epidemiology in Korea Part II: Urban and rural differences.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 178(4), 247–252.Google Scholar
  16. Leong, F.T. (1986). Counseling and psychotherapy with Asian-Americans: Review of the literature.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 33(2), 196–206.Google Scholar
  17. Moritsugu, J., & Sue, S. (1983). Minority status as a stressor. R. Felner, L. Jason, J. Moritsugu, & S. Farber (Eds.),Preventive Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice. New York: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
  18. Southard, S. (1986). Demonizing and mental illness(2) The problem of assessment: Los Angeles.Pastoral Psychology, 34(4), 264–287.Google Scholar
  19. Sue, S., Fujino, D.C., Hu, L., Takeuchi, D.T., & Zane, N.W.S. (1991). Community Mental Health Services for Ethnic Minority Groups: A Test of the Cultural Responsiveness Hypothesis.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 599(4), 533–540.Google Scholar
  20. Sue, S., & McKinney, H. (1975). Asian-Americans in the community mental health care system.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 45, 11–18.Google Scholar
  21. Sue, S., & Morishima, J. (1985).The mental health of Asian Americans. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
  22. U. S. Bureau of Census (1984).Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1985. (105th ed.), Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
  23. U. S. Bureau of Census (1990). 1990 Census of population: Race and Hispanic origin for the United States and regions.Google Scholar
  24. Wong, H. (1982). Asians and Pacific Americans. In L. Snowden (Ed.),Reaching the Underserved: Mental Health Needs of Neglected Populations, pp. 185–204. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
  25. Ying, Y. (1990). Explanatory models of major depression and implications for help-seeking among immigrant Chinese-American women.Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 14, 393–408.Google Scholar
  26. Zane, N., Sue, S., Castro, F.G., & George, W. (1982). Service system models for ethnic minorities. In L. Snowden (Ed.),Reaching the Underserved: Mental Health Needs of Neglected Populations. pp. 229–258. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Human Sciences Press, Inc 1993

Authors and Affiliations

  • Mikyong Kim-Goh
    • 1
  1. 1.Human Services Program (EC-529)California State University, FullertonFullerton

Personalised recommendations