Module 5 Job Aid
Promoting Mental Health
Responding to Cultural Issues Related to Mental Health
Issue #1: Differing views and experiences of mental health services
Issue
Tips for Addressing These Issues
To seek help, an individual must believe she has a
health problem that will be responded to
appropriately. The disparity in mental health care for
minorities and the poor are well documented.
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Acknowledge any past difficulty the caregiver may have had in
seeking help. Respect her cultural values, but stress that
mental health concerns are just as real and important to
address as physical health concerns. Assist the caregiver in
finding a treatment option that either matches her culture or is
culturally sensitive.
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Encourage your caregiver to trust her intuition if she suspects a
problem of any kind. Emphasize that it’s okay to ask questions
and gather information.
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Point out that poor self-esteem, depression, anxiety, etc. are
not healthy states of mind and good resources in the
community are available to help address these concerns.
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Point out that developing the skills for building esteem in herself
and her children may increase her ability to “handle it” herself.
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Inform her of mental health and parenting resources. She may
not know how to access these resources so be ready to explore
them with her.
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Be willing to accompany the caregiver to a first appointment, if
necessary. This may increase the likelihood of continued
treatment, and may help to ensure appropriate services are
offered.
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African Americans may prefer to seek help from
friends, family and religious leaders rather than
from mental health professionals.
Hispanics often encounter language barriers and
professionals who are not aware of the various
customs and cultural differences among Latin
countries.
Asian Americans are more likely to seek
treatment from a community or religious leader
than from a mental health professional.
Many mental health professionals are not
culturally sensitive in providing treatment options
or services. As a result, some minorities may be
cautious in following through on
recommendations or prescribed medications.
Issue #2: Perceived Stigma About Accessing Help
Stigma and Beliefs About Accessing Help
Tips for Addressing These Issues
Fear of embarrassment or shame keep people from seeking help.
Others will report physical symptoms rather than acknowledge a
mental health issue.
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Honor the caregiver’s beliefs, yet explore ways in
which she and family members can discuss the
value of seeking appropriate help.
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Some people may hesitate to get help because they fear
others’ opinions. They are afraid seeking help will result in
personal or family shame.
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If the caregiver or caregiver’s family agrees,
engage in some fun activities or share/tell stories
about seeking and receiving help.
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Older African Americans and Hispanics may not seek
traditional mental health services due to concerns of stigma
or a belief in other family resources as a source for help.
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Stress the confidentiality of any discussion she
would have with a doctor or mental health
professional.
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African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans may
suffer from somatization – multiple physical ailments or
complaints for which no medical diagnosis can be found.
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Many Asian Americans attach stigma to mental disorders
because they think revealing problems or dealing with
problems by seeking professional help are signs of personal
immaturity, weakness, and a lack of self-discipline.
If appropriate, help the caregiver think of ways to
remove obstacles to getting help for herself or a
child or to maintaining privacy. Obstacles could
include lack of childcare, lack of transportation,
inability to get time off of work, etc.
July 2005
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Module 5 Job Aid
Promoting Mental Health
Responding to Cultural Issues (cont)
Issue #3: Differing Views on Authority and Decision-Making
Issue
Tips for Addressing These Issues
When working with different cultures, you need to
understand and respect the value placed on machismo,
an elder, and others who hold authority and decisionmaking roles.
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Be inclusive of other family members in discussions about
services.
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Be aware of cultural protocol in addressing family members.
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Involve the decision-maker, if appropriate, in getting help.
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Be aware that decision-making roles may shift over time. For
instance, a teen mom who demonstrates solid decisionmaking skills may earn more authority over time.
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Avoid projecting your own cultural beliefs about decisionmaking onto the caregiver.
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In many Hispanic and Asian-American families,
men often make the decisions and are the authority
figure.
In many African-American (and even some
Caucasian) families, the decision-maker may be
the eldest member of the family, who may or may
not live with the caregiver.
To help a caregiver, you may need to involve
another family member or significant other if that
person is viewed as the authority or the decisionmaker.
Issue #4: Spiritual and Religious Beliefs
Issue
Tips for Addressing These Issues
Religion plays a powerful role in many people’s lives.
Religion can be a significant help to people in promoting
mental health and offering counseling resources.
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If you are comfortable doing so, acknowledge the role faith
and prayer can play in health issues.
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Pay attention to religious questions or comments. Many
women find comfort in Biblical scriptures. In the AfricanAmerican and Hispanic communities a woman’s first place of
refuge is often the church.
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Many families and cultural groups prefer spiritual
and religious resources to seeking traditional
mental health services.
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In some families, members believe that prayer and
faith alone will successfully treat depression or
other mental health problems.
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Talk with pastors and rabbis to find out how to refer a
caregiver to a pastor, rabbi, priest or other appropriate
spiritual leader.
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Research studies reveal spiritual and religious faith
can be beneficial in promoting positive mental
health.
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Be open to seeking and referring caregivers to support
groups that support her cultural or religious values. Often,
support groups are effective and beneficial for people dealing
with mild or moderate forms of mental health issues.
July 2005
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