Award Date

8-1-2023

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Committee Member

Shane Kraus

Second Committee Member

Gloria Wong-Padoongpatt

Third Committee Member

Daniel Allen

Fourth Committee Member

William Jankowiak

Number of Pages

181

Abstract

Cross-cultural research systematically identifies variations in cultural practices, meanings, and responses across different cultural groups. For example, psychiatric symptoms vary in their salience and degree to which they are reported across cultures. Cultural differences in causal attributions likely lead to differences in an individual’s help-seeking intention. However, there are limitations in previous cross-cultural studies about perceptions of psychopathology, including not measuring impairment level and parental distress, as well as the problematic use of categorical variables as predictors. To overcome limitations in previous work, the current project examined the cultural mechanism of mothers’ perceptions of externalizing and internalizing psychopathology in youth. Study 1 consisted of 302 U.S. mothers and 303 Taiwan mothers rating vignettes of youth presenting with externalizing problems. Study 2 consisted of 310 U.S. mothers and 294 Taiwan mothers rating vignettes of youth presenting with internalizing problems. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, the mediation pathways demonstrated the mediating effect of adherence to East Asian cultural values (conformity, emotional self-control, and face culture) on the relationship between country of residence and mothers’ ratings of youth’s psychopathology. The association between country of residence, causal attribution, and factors related to help-seeking intention were also examined. Limitations include generalizability of the current findings to other genders and countries, as well as threats to validity due to study methodology and reference group effect. In closing, results from the present study informed the importance of a culturally sensitive approach to the practice of clinical psychology with youth.

Keywords

cross-cultural psychology; cultural values; internalizing and externalizing psychopathology; parent perceptions

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology | Psychology

File Format

pdf

File Size

1580 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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