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This study examined the potential moderating influences of behavioral and values acculturation and enculturation in a sample of 113 Asian Americans. Findings from regression analyses revealed that acculturation to European American cultural values, alone and in interaction with perceived racism, was related to less psychological symptoms, whereas enculturation to Asian American values alone was associated with more psychological symptoms. Findings, which partially supported the authors' hypotheses, are discussed in light of the cultural adaptation literature.

Possible relations among enculturation and acculturation to cultural values and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help were examined among 146 Asian American college students. In addition, possible relations between various dimensions of Asian values and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help were examined. As hypothesized, the results indicated a significant inverse relation between enculturation to Asian values and professional help-seeking attitudes, above and beyond that of the association with having previous counseling experience. Although bivariate correlational results suggested possible inverse relations between the Asian values dimensions of collectivism, emotional self-control, and humility and professional help-seeking attitudes, these associations were not confirmed with a hierarchical multiple regression model. Contrary to expectation, a significant relation was not observed between values acculturation and professional help-seeking attitudes. Also, the interaction between enculturation and acculturation to cultural values was not significantly predictive of professional help-seeking attitudes.

In this study, the 18-item European American Values Scale for Asian Americans (M. M. Wolfe, P. H. Yang, E. C. Wong, & D. R. Atkinson, 2001) was revised on the basis of results from a psychometric analysis using the Rasch Model (G. Rasch, 1960). The results led to the establishment of the 25-item European American Values Scale for Asian Americans-Revised.

Adaptation experiences of 1.5-generation Asian American college students (N=10) were examined using the consensual qualitative research method. Results indicated 4 domains of adaptation experiences: preimmigration experiences, acculturation and enculturation experiences, intercultural relationships, and support systems. Participants reported that English proficiency played a significant role in their initial adjustment. (Contains 27 references.) (GCP)

Asian American college students' adherence to Asian and European American cultural values and their relations to collective self-esteem, acculturative stress, cognitive flexibility, and general self-efficacy were examined. On the basis of data from 156 respondents, the results supported the hypothesis that adherence to Asian and European American values are positive predictors of membership and private dimensions of collective self-esteem. However, contrary to the authors' hypotheses, no relations were observed between adherence to Asian and European American values and other criterion variables. It is interesting that post hoc examination of the results indicated that adherence to Asian values was a positive predictor of the importance to identity dimension of collective self-esteem. Also, adherence to European American values was a positive predictor of cognitive flexibility and general self-efficacy. Keywords: biculturalism, acculturation and enculturation, mental health, Asian Americans, cultural values

This study examined counseling intervention designed for Asian Americans. Participants ( N = 158) rated session effectiveness after viewing a videotape of a counselor using a culturally congruent or incongruent communication style. Analyses of variance showed that the incongruent style was viewed as more satisfying and credible than the congruent style. Factor analysis showed that participants perceived 'being direct' and 'maintaining harmony' styles, and multiple regression analyses revealed that these perceptions had a positive relationship with effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian Americans drop out of mental health treatment at a high rate. This problem could be addressed by enhancing therapists' multicultural competence and by examining clients' cultural attitudes that may affect the counseling process. In the present study, we used a video analogue design with a sample of 113 Asian American college students to examine these possibilities. The result from a t test showed that the session containing therapist multicultural competencies received higher ratings than the session without therapist multicultural competence. In addition, correlational analyses showed that participant values acculturation was positively associated with participant ratings of counseling process, while the value of emotional self-control was negatively correlated. The results of a hierarchical multiple regression analysis did not support any interaction effects among the independent variables on counseling process. All of these findings could contribute to the field of multicultural competence research and have implications for therapist practices and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the relationships between adherence to Asian and European cultural values and communication styles among 210 Asian American and 136 European American college students. A principal components analysis revealed that, for both Asian Americans and European Americans, the contentious, dramatic, precise, and open styles loaded onto the first component suggesting low context communication, and interpersonal sensitivity and inferring meaning styles loaded onto the second component suggesting high context communication. Higher adherence to emotional self-control and lower adherence to European American values explained Asian Americans' higher use of the indirect communication, while higher emotional self-control explained why Asian Americans use a less open communication style than their European American counterparts. When differences between sex and race were controlled, adherence to humility was inversely related to contentious and dramatic communication styles but directly related to inferring meaning style, adherence to European American values was positively associated with precise communication and inferring meaning styles, and collectivism was positively related to interpersonal sensitivity style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Possible relations among enculturation and acculturation to cultural values and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help were examined among 146 Asian American college students. In addition, possible relations between various dimensions of Asian values and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help were examined. As hypothesized, the results indicated a significant inverse relation between enculturation to Asian values and professional help-seeking attitudes, above and beyond that of the association with having previous counseling experience. Although bivariate correlational results suggested possible inverse relations between the Asian values dimensions of collectivism, emotional self-control, and humility and professional help-seeking attitudes, these associations were not confirmed with a hierarchical multiple regression model. Contrary to expectation, a significant relation was not observed between values acculturation and professional help-seeking attitudes. Also, the interaction between enculturation and acculturation to cultural values was not significantly predictive of professional help-seeking attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 18-item European American Values Scale for Asian Americans (M. M. Wolfe, P. H. Yang, E. C. Wong, & D. R. Atkinson, 2001) was revised on the basis of results from a psychometric analysis using the Rasch Model (G. Rasch, 1960). The results led to the establishment of the 25-item European American Values Scale for Asian Americans—Revised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the development and psychometric properties of the Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AAMAS). The results of 3 separate studies provide strong evidence of the instrument's reliability and validity. The principles for the development of the AAMAS were orthogonality of cultural dimensions, inclusion of a pan-ethnic Asian American dimension, and ease of use across ethnic groups. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicate that within each cultural dimension (AAMA S-Culture of Origin, AAMAS-Asian American, and AAMAS-European American) there are 4 reliable acculturation domains of cultural identity, language, cultural knowledge, and food consumption. These features of the AAMAS allow for a more complex assessment of acculturation level of Asian Americans and its relationship to psychological functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data on 570 Chinese, Filipino, Korean, and Japanese American college students from 3 previous studies (1 published [B. S. K. Kim, D. R. Atkinson, & P. H. Yang, 1999] and 2 unpublished [B. S. K. Kim, 1999; E. C. Wong, B. S. K. Kim, N. W. S. Zane, I. J. Kim, & J. S. Huang, 1999]), the authors subjected 22 items constituting 6 value dimensions of the Asian Values Scale (AVS; B. S. K. Kim et al., 1999) to the following structural equation modeling procedures: confirmatory factor analysis, factorial invariance analysis, and structured means analysis. The results of confirmatory factor analysis provided support for a hierarchical factor model when this model was compared with 2 competing models. The results of factorial invariance analysis indicated that the meanings of the factors within the hierarchical model were conceived similarly among the 4 Asian American ethnic groups. On the basis of these results, a structured means analysis was conducted, revealing similarities and differences between the ethnic groups' adherence to 6 cultural value dimensions. Implications regarding psychological services for these Asian Americans are discussed, and suggestions for future research are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]