Social Work in Mental Health
Volume 14, Issue 2, 2016, Pages 174-194

Cultural factors influencing mental health help-seeking attitudes among Black English-Speaking Caribbean immigrants in the United States and Britain (Review)

Yorke C.B. , Voisin D.R.* , Berringer K.R. , Alexander L.S.
  • a New York State Office of Mental Health at Kingsboro Psychiatric Center, New York, NY, United States
  • b School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
  • c School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
  • d School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States

Abstract

This review examines factors related to professional mental health help-seeking among Black English-speaking Caribbean immigrants in the United States and Britain. Findings emphasize that attention to cultural context is essential to understanding the ways these populations conceptualize mental illness, and is also key in the development of effective and culturally responsive mental health services. Various groups of Black English-speaking Caribbean immigrants seek out informal help, and utilize spiritual beliefs and ritual practices as social supports and systems of meaning in times of psychological distress, which may affect their utilization of formal mental health systems. Additionally, culturally specific notions of stigma around the concept of “mental illness” are likely to deter help-seeking, or render various forms of treatment ineffective and threatening. © 2016 Taylor & Francis.

Author Keywords

help-seeking attitudes psychocultural factors Caribbean immigrants mental health services

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84956934957&doi=10.1080%2f15332985.2014.943832&partnerID=40&md5=133d167efd9ee9edd520bb6a7475b47c
DOI: 10.1080/15332985.2014.943832
ISSN: 15332985
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English