Ethnicity, acculturation and religiosity predict parents' causal beliefs about separation anxiety disorder and preferences for help-seeking

Abstract

Ethnic minority youth use mental health services less frequently than Caucasian youth, despite similar rates of psychopathology. Research has documented ethnic differences in (1) parents' beliefs about the seriousness, prognosis, and etiology of child symptoms and (2) preferences for help-seeking, which may partially explain disparities in treatment utilization; however, few studies have examined underlying cultural factors that may account for ethnic differences or parent's beliefs and preferences with regard to youth anxiety. This study examined parents' beliefs about separation anxiety disorder (SAD) and preferences for help-seeking among 117 Indian-American (IA; n = 39), Puerto Rican (PR; n = 39), and European-American (EA; n = 39) mothers. After reading four vignettes describing SAD symptoms, parents rated the seriousness, prognosis, and etiology of symptoms and the likelihood of help-seeking. Parents also completed measures of acculturation, independent/interdependent self-construal, and strength of religious faith. RM-MANCOVA (controlling for SES) revealed that PR mothers were more likely than EA mothers to endorse medical etiology and were more likely than IA mothers to seek help from a physician. Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that acculturation and strength of religious faith predicted parents' etiological beliefs and preferences for help-seeking, after accounting for variance associated with SES and child gender. Results highlight the importance of examining cultural constructs that may contribute to ethnic differences. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.