Graduate Project

Exploring barriers influencing utilization of mental health services for Filipino American college students

This study explores the barriers Filipino American college students encounter to utilizing mental health services. Current mental health services are underutilized by Filipino American college students and reports of mental health problems are underreported. The researcher conducted qualitative interviews with all participants in this study. The snowball sampling method was used to recruit eight Filipino American college students (ages 20-30 years, median age = 25.5 years old). The interviews explored the barriers Filipino Americans face that may hinder their pursuit of professional psychological help. Data analysis revealed two common themes: Filipino cultural influences and structural barriers are factors that impact mental health help seeking behavior. Future implications of this research include the need for culturally competent services in the Social Work field to contribute to current academic literature.

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