Psychological Distress in Treatment-Seeking University Students: An Intersectional Examination of Asian Identity and Gender Identity

We sought to elucidate the presentation of psychological distress across treatment-seeking university students at the intersection of gender and ethnic identity, concentrating on East and South Asian identity. Using retrospective baseline data from 1530 university students utilizing on-campus counseling services, ANOVAs were conducted to evaluate the effects of gender and ethnic identity on total and subscale scores of The Outpatient Questionnaire-45 (OQ-45). Compared to White students, South and East Asians exhibited significantly elevated levels of psychological distress. Although no gender differences emerged across overall psychological distress, there was a significant interaction between gender and ethnicity on total OQ-45 and certain subscales of this measure. Our findings provide important insight towards the limited body of evidence analyzing the intersection of gender and ethnicity in mental health. Revealing how multiple identities contribute to the presentation of psychological distress in postsecondary students can lead to the implementation of more effective interventions.