Immigrants to the United States often experience sociocultural stress not easily mitigated by the culturally individualistic and Western endopsychic probing methods of therapy. The vast majority of immigrants hold communal attitudes and holistic beliefs, whereas American therapists use treatment methods that endorse self-sufficiency and individualistic values. Parsimonious, psychoeducational and less ego-threatening strategies are proposed-supportive, directive, didactic and realily-oriented approaches that are consistent with the treatment perspective of immigrant populations that commonly hold collective rather than individualistic views. The proposed goal of intervention is to help immigrants become biocultural citizens, by enabling them to adopt American coping skills without surrendering those of their own culture.

Mental health immigrants Psychotherapy

cultural anthropology immigrant individualization Review social support social adaptation United States philosophy human Social Environment