Trauma and PTSD in Asian Americans

Prevalence rate of PTSD are lowest among Asian Americans when compared to all other groups.^[5][6][7] However, Asian Americans are most likely to be exposed to organized violence.^[7] Over 70% of Asian refugees receiving mental health help are due to PTSD.^[3] Among the racial groups of White, Latin American, and African American, Asian Americans who were exposed to traumatic events are less likely to be diagnosed with PTSD.^[7]

The utilization of mental health care depends significantly on the individual's awareness of their need for treatment, access to mental health care facilities, and ability to afford the time and money costs associated with receiving such care.^[8] The timeliness of treatment after exposure to traumatic events is critical in the recovery process.

Asian American people tend to receive less mental health care and psychotherapy services when compared to other racial and ethnic groups.^[9][10] Among the Asian Americans who sought mental health help, delays in initiating the treatment sessions are common. The average time of delay is significantly longer than those observed in cases of people from other racial or ethnic groups. In addition, Asian Americans, especially those with lower income and education, tend to seek treatment from general practitioners or religious advisors rather than mental health specialists.^[10]

Asian American veterans are physically healthier than veterans of other racial groups, but they report poorer mental health status and are less likely to seek mental health help.^[11] Studies have found that Asian Americans are the least likely to seek mental health services than any other racial or ethnic group and that they are about three times less likely to seek mental health help than their White counterparts.^[12]

Many barriers prevent Asian Americans from seeking proper mental health interventions. Some examples of such barriers are the myth of model minority, lack of knowledge about mental health issues, lack of cultural competency among mental health workers, lack of multilingual services, insufficient health insurance and high cost of services, lack of data and research on the Asian American population, and others.^[3]

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is suitable for treating Asian Americans for acute problems, including PTSD. It is individualized, short-term, and problem-focused.^[4] Most Asian Americans would prefer short-term and problem-focused therapy rather than long-term or open-ended.^[4] Thus, CBT is appealing and serves as a popular choice for many patients with Asian American cultural backgrounds.

The Asian Women's Action for Resilience and Empowerment (AWARE) is a culture-specific and trauma-informed intervention designed for Asian American women with trauma and/or PTSD diagnosis.^[13][14] Some targeted symptoms include depressive symptoms, suicidality, substance use, and sexual risk behaviors.