According to the 1991-2015 Combined National Youth Behavioral Risk Surveys, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander adolescents had rates of attempted suicide two times higher than non-Hispanic Whites. However, there is a great lack of research and resources dedicated to Pacific Islander mental health. This literature review seeks to understand the unique experiences of Pacific Islanders in regards to their mental health. I reviewed 10 research articles concerning mental health in the Pacific Islander community, with a focus on adolescence and emerging adulthood since this is a critical developmental period that impacts the lifetime health outcomes of a population. These studies range in focus from documenting personal experiences to general disparities that impact this population. In the literature, I found that Pacific Islander youth experienced higher rates of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and psychological distress in comparison to non-Hispanic whites and other minority groups like Hispanics in the United State. These findings signal that future research should focus on identifying and better understanding the risk and protective factors that impact mental health outcomes in Pacific Islander communities. This literature review helps summarize the small existing literature, identify gaps in research about Pacific Islander mental health, and inform future research questions.

The Southeast Asian American population disproportionately experiences mental health disorders due to histories of war and violence leaving home and coming to the U.S., however, their mental health needs are understudied. This study explores how parental involvement among Southeast Asian parents is associated with adolescents’ self-esteem. We also examine how gender might play a role in parental involvement and self-esteem. We analyzed data from the 1995 wave of surveys from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study. We focused our analyses on adolescents who identified as Vietnamese, Laos, Hmong and Cambodian and whose parents completed the parent survey (n = 382 pairs of parents and adolescents). We first calculated descriptive statistics for sociodemographic characteristics (age, education level, income), parental involvement measures (frequency of communication about school & clashing) and self-esteem (Rosenberg scale). We then used chi-square tests or t-tests to determine whether characteristics, including self-esteem, differed significantly by adolescent gender. We also assessed the relationships between parental involvement measures and adolescent self-esteem. Results demonstrated that clashing between parents and adolescents were significantly associated with adolescent self-esteem (p<.05) While results indicated that there were no significant gender differences in self-esteem scores, self-esteem scores were low overall in the sample. Our results point to the importance of expanding holistic and culturally relevant mental health services for Southeast Asian adolescents, regardless of gender, especially considering the importance of family involvement in service delivery. Additionally, results call for practitioners to deliver culturally sensitive services and to gain a stronger understanding of cultural and gender norms when working with Southeast Asian populations. Future research should seek to better understand the mental health of Southeast Asian adolescents.

Mental health issues are prevalent across cultures and people. Immigrants with developmental disabilities (ID) face a double minority challenge due to the formidable differences among diverse groups in perceptions of mental health and difficulty in accessing services. Yet, health disparities and barriers faced by people with disabilities from a culturally diverse background have not been prioritized in educational curriculum, in scholarly research, and in general societal discourse. Recent reports suggest that systematic neglect of culture in health and healthcare has contributed to barriers to the advancement of health worldwide. This study strives to illuminate the development of mental health services for immigrants with co-occurring developmental (ID) and mental health challenges (MHC). It includes data from surveys and interviews with health care practitioners serving people with ID. Data analysis focuses on practitioners' challenges and successes working with this population. The findings help identify strategies and resources to support the immigrant communities who are experiencing the intersecting effects of marginalizing characteristics in their daily lives, especially through an intersectionality framework.

This study asks how participants in Veterans Treatment Court perceive services received from them and what impact the courts have on participants’ feelings about themselves. It uses data drawn from three in-depth qualitative interviews of veterans who have completed veterans courts treatment and services. Participants described their criminal charges, which include assault, malicious mischief, driving under the influence, and theft. All of the participants described their current state as being in some form of recovery from either addiction or another form of mental health challenge. The interviews were conducted with a unique social work frame focusing on the micro, meso and macro implications of participation in the courts. Findings based on qualitative analyses revealed that participants felt supported during the course of their participation and empowered to make changes in their lives. Most importantly, participants felt humanized by their experience which stands in marked contrast to their experiences in other criminal proceedings. The study points to the unique value of veterans courts and the role they can play in supporting participants’ recovery and wellbeing.