Use of Social Cognitive Theory in the Mental Health Treatment of Indian Immigrant Women in the United States

Underutilization of mental health services is a major problem facing minority and immigrant populations. Immigrant and minority clients often have negative experiences with mental health services because of assumptions made by the practitioners. This study's objective is to examine how mental health professionals' perceptions of Indian immigrant women in the United States impact their treatment of and outreach towards this population. The principal investigator administered audio-recorded qualitative interviews with nine South Asian mental health professionals in the US who serve Indian immigrant women. Results show that changing the idea of Indian culture as a monolithic category is significant to creating effective treatment strategies. Changing homogenizing notions includes considering differences in language, religion, caste, and geography. Effective treatment strategies for this pluralistic population include helping clients make sense of the immigrant experience, involving family members in the treatment process, integrating cultural values and objects familiar to the clients into the process, and challenging assumptions about Indian women and Indian culture. These strategies draw on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the idea that individuals' attitudes, behaviors, and health are impacted by their observations, environments, social networks, and other external factors. SCT helps inform suitable treatment strategies for this historically underserved and inappropriately treated, heterogeneous population. The results of this study indicate the importance of effectively training mental health professionals in SCT, cultural sensitivity, and heterogeneity of clients' social and cultural contexts.