CHAPTER 16

COUNSELING ASIAN AMERICANS AND

PACIFIC ISLANDERS

Statistics on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

The number of Asian Americans in the United States stands at approximately 15,000,000.

Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders comprise 1.2 million of the U.S. population.

It is a very heterogeneous group (e.g., East, South, Southeast).

Many Asian Americans speak another language Asian Americans differ with respect to acculturation and

immigration status.

Asian Americans: A Success Story?

For example: Of those over the age of 25, 44% of Asian/Pacific

Islanders had at least a bachelors degree versus 24% of their White counterparts.

However, in the area of education, Asian Americans show a disparate picture of extraordinarily high educational attainment and a large undereducated mass (e.g., Hmong, Laotians).

Collectivistic Orientation

Instead of promoting individual needs and personal identity, Asian families tend to have a family and group orientation.

Children are expected to strive for family goals and not to engage in behaviors that would bring dishonor to the family.

Hierarchical Relationships

Traditional Asian American families tend to be hierarchical and patriarchal in structure, with males and older individuals occupying a higher status.

Communication flows down from the parent to the child, who is expected to defer to the adults.

Parenting Styles

Parenting styles tend to be more authoritarian and directive than in Euro-American families.

Shame, induction of guilt, and love withdrawal are used to control or train children.

Problem behavior is thought to be due to lack of discipline. Parenting styles differ among Asian American groups.

Implications: Egalitarian or Western-style parent effectiveness training strategies may

run counter to traditional child-rearing patterns. Traditional Asian American families may feel that their parenting skills

are being criticized when exposed to Western techniques or styles. It may be helpful for the therapist to refocus parenting to utilize more

positive aspects of Asian child-rearing strategies.

Emotionality

Strong emotional displays, especially in public, are considered to be signs of immaturity or a lack of control.

Holistic View of Mind and Body

Because the mind and body are considered inseparable, Asian Americans may present emotional difficulties through somatic complaints.

Academic and Occupational Goals

As a group, Asian Americans perform better academically than do their Euro-American counterparts.

They also have more fear of academic failure compared to their Euro-American peers.

Asian American adolescents report feeling isolated, depressed, and anxious and report little praise for their accomplishments from their parents.

Parents often have specific career goals in mind for their children (e.g., hard sciences).

Cultural Strengths

The family and collectivistic orientations provide individuals with honor and support, which can buffer stressors.

Ethnic pride can be enhanced through connecting with cultural traditions.

Having strong cognitive flexibility is key.

Racial Identity Issues

Individuals undergoing acculturation conflicts may respond in the following manner:

Assimilation seeks to become part of the dominant society to the exclusion of his or her own cultural group.

Separation identifies exclusively with the Asian culture. Integration/biculturalism retains many Asian values but

adapts to the dominant culture by learning necessary skills and values.

Marginalization perceives ones own culture as negative but is unable to adapt to majority culture.

Acculturation Conflicts

Children with Asian parents encounter a unique challenge because they must deal with cultural differences.

Children are raised with two conflicting viewpoints—an American culture that calls for active parental involvement, and a home life that demands individual and community responsibility.

Expectations of Counseling

Explain the nature of the counseling and therapy process and the necessity of obtaining information.

Describe the clients’ role. Indicate that the problems may be individual, relational,

environmental, or a combination of these and that you will perform an assessment of each of these areas.

Introduce the concept of co construction—that the problem definition and solutions are developed with the help of the client and the counselor.

Asian clients expect the counselor to take an active role in structuring the session and guidelines on the types of responses that they will be expected to make.

Racism and Discrimination

Asian Americans continue to face issues of racism and discrimination.

One study found that discrimination in early adolescence was related to depression, alienation and lower academic performance.

Asian Americans report more workplace discrimination than do Whites.

Southeast Asian refugees who experienced racial discrimination report higher rates of depression.

Implications for Clinical Practice

Be aware of cultural differences between the therapist and the client regarding counseling, appropriate goals, and process.

Build rapport by discussing confidentiality and explaining the client role and the need to co construct the problem definition and solutions.

Assess not just from an individual perspective; include family, community, and societal influences on the problem.

Conduct a positive assets search. Consider or reframe the problem when possible as one in which

issues of culture conflict or acculturation are involved. Determine whether somatic complaints are involved and assess

their influence on mood and relationships.

Implications for Clinical Practice

Take an active role but allow Asian Americans to choose and evaluate suggested interventions

Use problem-focused, time-limited approaches that have been modified to incorporate possible cultural factors

With family therapy, the therapist should be aware that Western-based theories and techniques may not be appropriate for Asian families. Therefore, focus on positive aspects of parenting such as modeling and teaching, and use a solution-focused model

In couples counseling, assess for societal or acculturation conflicts

Implications for Clinical Practice

With Asian children and adolescents, common problems involve acculturation conflicts with parents, feeling guilty or stressed over academic performance, negative self-image or identity issues, and struggle between interdependence and independence.

Among recent immigrants or refugees, assess for living situation, culture conflict, and social or financial condition.

Consider the need to act as an advocate or to engage in systems-level intervention in cases of institutional racism or discrimination.