Paradox of Support: How Parental Social Support Shapes Asian Americans’ Mental Health Care Utilization

• In Event: 50260 - Section on Asia and Asian America Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 4: Health and Mental Health Across Migrant and Asian Communities

Abstract

The Model Minority Myth portrays Asian Americans as socially advantaged, extending this stereotype to their health outcomes by suggesting they experience better health than other BIPOC groups. However, Asian Americans have the lowest mental health service utilization rates, even when accounting for psychiatric disorders. Social support plays a key role in accessing mental health care, yet its influence remains complex—both facilitating and hindering care. This study examines how parental social support shapes Asian Americans’ mental health care utilization, drawing on social resource and social cost theory. While social resource theory emphasizes the protective role of support, social cost theory highlights its potential harm. Through 51 in-depth interviews with Asian American adults, I explore how parental support can create barriers to seeking care. Participants report that parents frequently provide ineffective or stigmatizing support, discouraging help-seeking behaviors. However, paradoxically, these same negative experiences can propel individuals toward mental health services, particularly when their needs persist. Findings show that cultural expectations and the pressure of the American Dream contribute to the de-prioritization of mental health in many Asian American families. While parental support often invalidates children’s mental health struggles, it indirectly drives individuals to seek care despite family resistance. By extending social cost theory to mental health care utilization, this study contributes to the growing literature on the complexities of social support and underscores the need to consider culturally specific barriers in addressing mental health disparities.

Author

• Yvonne Chen, Texas Christian University