An evaluation of culture-specific risk factors and emotion regulation strategies on psychological distress and maladaptive behaviors among Asian Americans

<p>Cultural context is fundamental in cross-cultural conceptualizations of risk factors for mental health status among ethnic minorities. Existing studies indicate that acculturation level predicts psychological adjustment, but findings remain inconclusive. This study, consisting of university students of Asian descent, evaluated the relationship between acculturation level and internalizing/externalizing problems via the incorporation of more proximal measures of risk factors associated with acculturation (e.g., acculturative dissonance and acculturative stress). In addition, the predictive values of non-culture specific risk factors, such as emotion dysregulation and experiential avoidance, were examined. Acculturation-related stressors and difficulties with emotion regulation increased risk for maladjustment within the study’s sample. Furthermore,experiential avoidance and emotion dysregulation mediated and moderated the relationship between acculturative stress and psychological distress, respectively. The findings suggest that acculturation influences psychological adjustment through a number of factors, including acculturation-related stressors as well as emotion regulation difficulties.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Lee, Joo-Hyun

Contributors dc:contributor

• Tamara Loverich, PhD, Chair
• Heather C. Janisse
• Thomas A. Schmitt

• acculturation
• distress (psychology)
• Asian Americans
• mental health
• Clinical Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/498

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1869