Abstract
Challenged to cope with two different cultures, Chinese American immigrant families face many stressors and conflicts. Such difficulties faced by these individuals usually stem from language, religious, and value differences. Furthermore, family members are faced with role and status changes due to differing rates and levels of acculturation. As a result, there is a great need for mental health services. However, due to cultural barriers, mental health services are not accessible nor acceptable to many Chinese Americans. Effective intervention strategies which integrate the Chinese cultural values and norms with psychotherapy are recommended.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Author.
Chan, S. (1992). Families with Asian roots. In E. W. Lynch & M. J. Hanson (Eds.),Developing cross-cultural competence (pp. 181–257). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Chan, W. T., Ragi al Faruqi, I., Kitagawa, J. M., & Raju, P. T. (1969).The great Asian religions: An anthology. New York: Macmillan.
Chinese American Planning Council, Inc., United Way of Tri-State, & Regional Plan Associations (1988).Outlook — The growing Asian Presence in the Tri-State region. New York: Author.
Daniels, R. (1988).Asian America: Chinese and Japanese in the United States since 1850. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.
Fong, S. L. M. (1979). Identity conflicts of Chinese adolescents in San Francisco. In E. B. Brody (Ed.),Minority group adolescents in the United States (pp. 111–132). Huntington, NY: Robert E. Krieger.
Hsu, F. K. L. (1981).Americans & Chinese: Passages to differences (3rd ed.). Honolulu: HI: University of Hawaii Press.
Kim, S., McLeod, J. H., & Shantzis, C. (1992). Cultural competence for evaluators working with Asian-American communities: Some practical considerations. In M. A. Orlandi, R. Weston, & L. G. Epstein (Eds.),Cultural competence for evaluators: A guide for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention practitioners working with ethnic/racial communities (pp. 203–260). Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Kleinman, A. M. (1981). Culture and patient care: Psychiatry among the Chinese.Drug Therapy, 11 134–140.
Kleinman, A. M., & Lim, T. (Eds.) (1981).Normal and abnormal behavior in Chinese culture. Holland: D. Reidel.
Kluckholn, F. R. (1958). Family diagnosis. I. Variations in the basic values of family systems.Social Casework, 39 66–69.
Kuo, C. L. (1988).Somatization, social support, and semantics in Chinatown. Unpublished manuscript, Chinatown Family Consultation Center, New York.
Lee, E. (1982). A social systems approach to assessment and treatment for Chinese American families. In M. McGoldrick, J. K. Pearce, & J. Giordano (Eds.),Ethnicity and family therapy (pp. 527–551). New York: Guilford.
Ridenour, F. (1967).So what's the difference? Ventura, CA: Regal Books.
Roland, A. (1988).In search of self in India and Japan. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Ryan, A. S. (1979).Mental health needs of Asian Americans. New York: Hunter College.
Shon, S. P., & Ja, D. Y. (1982). Asian families. In M. McGoldrick, J. K. Pearce, & J. Giordano (Eds.),Ethnicity and family therapy (pp. 208–228). New York: Guilford.
Soothill, W. E. (1929).The three religions of China (3rd ed.). Totowa, NJ: Rowman & Littlefield.
Sue, D. W. (1983). Ethnic identity: The impact of two cultures on the psychological development of Asians in America. In D. R. Atkinson, G. Morten, & D. W. Sue (Eds.),Counseling American Minorities (2nd ed.) (pp. 85–96). Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.
Sue, S., & Morishima, J. K. (1982).The mental health of Asian Americans. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Sue, S., & Sue, D. W. (1971). Chinese-American personality and mental health.Amerasia Journal, 1 36–49.
Sung, B. L. (1987).The adjustment experience of Chinese immigrant children in New York City. New York: Center for Migration Studies.
Takaki, R. (1989). Strangers from a different shore:A history of Asian Americans. Boston: Little Brown.
Uba, L. (1994).Asian Americans: Personality Patterns, identity, and mental health. New York: Guilford.
U.S. Department of Commerce Economics & Statistics Administration Bureau of the Census. (1965).Asian & Pacific Islander Population in the United States: 1965. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
U.S. Department of Commerce Economics & Statistics Administration Bureau of the Census (1988).Asian & Pacific Islander Population in the United States: 1980. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
U.S. Department of Commerce Economics & Statistics Administration Bureau of the Census (1992).1990 census of population: General population characteristics metropolitan areas. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Vazquez, C., & Javier, R. A. (1991). Problems with interpreters: Communicating with Spanish-speaking patients.Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 42(2), 163–165.
Woo, D. (1989). The gap between striving and achieving: The case of Asian American Women. In Asian Women United of California (Ed.),Making waves, an anthology of writings by and about Asian American women, Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chan, S., Leong, C.W. Chinese families in transition: Cultural conflicts and adjustment problems. J Soc Distress Homeless 3, 263–281 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02087760
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02087760