This study examined the relationship between guarded self-disclosure, psychological distress, and willingness to use psychological services if distressed among 170 (88 male, 82 female) East Asian immigrants in the United States. Participants were administered a battery of psychometrically established measures. Participants who endorsed overall guarded self-disclosure, self-concealment (i.e., unwillingness to reveal affect to others), or conflict avoidance (i.e., maintenance of harmony via suppression of feelings) were significantly more likely to report psychological distress and were significantly less likely to report willingness to use psychological services. While conflict avoidance was a significant independent predictor of psychological distress, self-concealment was a significant independent predictor of willingness to use psychological services. These findings point to the importance of assessing multiple facets of guarded self-disclosure, which appear to be differentially associated with psychological distress and willingness to use psychological services. Copyright © 2005 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Psychological distress Asian Guarded self-disclosure

self disclosure immigrant Asian mental health service multiple regression conflict human Life Change Events middle aged Asian continental ancestry group Stress, Psychological controlled study probability Far East United States Humans male female prediction Personality Inventory Identification (Psychology) cultural factor Community Mental Health Services psychometry Article health care utilization major clinical study adult distress syndrome Emigration and Immigration Patient Acceptance of Health Care