Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

African American Families’ Expectations and Intentions for Mental Health Services

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A cross-sectional qualitative descriptive design was used to examine the links among expectations about, experiences with, and intentions toward mental health services. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 32 African American youth/mothers dyads. Content analysis revealed that positive expectations were linked to positive experiences and intentions, that negative expectations were not consistently linked to negative experiences or intentions, nor were ambivalent expectations linked to ambivalent experiences or intentions. Youth were concerned about privacy breeches and mothers about the harmfulness of psychotropic medication. Addressing these concerns may promote African Americans’ engagement in mental health services.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding attitudes and predicting social behavior. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alegria, M., Chatterji, P., Wells, K., Cao, Z., Chen, C. N., Takeuchi, D., et al. (2008). Disparity in depression treatment among racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States. Psychiatric Services, 59, 1264–1272.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Angold, A., Erkanli, A., Farmer, E. M. Z., Fairbank, J. A., Burns, B. J., Keeler, G., et al. (2002). Psychiatric disorder, impairment, and service use in rural African American and white youth. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59, 893–901.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Armitage, C. J., & Conner, M. (2001). Efficacy of the theory of planned behaviour: A meta-analytic review. British Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 471–499.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, J., & Laurie, N. (2004). R-e-s-p-e-c-t: Patient reports of disrespect in the health care setting its impact on care. Journal of Family Practice, 53, 721–730.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Breland-Noble, A. M., Bell, C. C., Burriss, A., & AAKOMA Project Adult Advisory Board. (2011). “Mama just won’t accept this”: Adult perspectives on engaging depressed African American teens in clinical research and treatment. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 18, 225–234.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bringewatt, E. H., & Gershoff, E. T. (2010). Falling through the cracks: Gaps and barriers in the mental health system for America’s disadvantaged children. Children and Youth Services Review, 32, 1291–1299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, C., Conner, K. O., Copeland, V. C., Grote, N., Beach, S., Battista, D., et al. (2010). Depression stigma, race, and treatment seeking behavior and attitudes. Journal of Community Psychology, 38, 350–368.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cauce, A. M., Domenech-Rodriguez, M., Paradise, M., Cochran, B. N., Shea, J. M., Srebnik, D., et al. (2002). Cultural and contextual influences in mental health help seeking: A focus on ethnic minority youth. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 44–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Childs, G., Moneyham, L., & Felton, G. (2008). Correlates of sexual abstinence and sexual activity of low-income African American females. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 19, 432–442.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chow, J., Jaffee, K., & Snowden, L. R. (2003). Racial/ethnic disparities in the use of mental health service in poverty areas. American Journal of Public Health, 93, 792–797.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cruz, M., Pincus, H. A., Harman, J. S., Reynolds, III, C. F., & Post, E. P. (2008). Barriers to care-seeking for depressed African Americans. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 38, 71–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Draucker, C. B. (2005). Processes of mental health service use by adolescents with depression. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 37, 155–162.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eiraldi, R. B., Mazzuca, L. B., Clarke, A. T., & Power, T. J. (2006). Service utilization among ethnic minority children with ADHD: A model of help-seeking behavior. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 33, 607–622.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frazier, S. L., Abdul-Adil, J., Atkins, M. S., Gathright, T., & Jackson, M. (2007). Can’t have one without the other: Mental health providers and community parents reducing barriers to services for families in urban poverty. Journal of Community Psychology, 35, 435–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez, J. M., Alegria, M., Prihoda, T. J., Copeland, L. A., & Zeber, J. E. (2011). How the relationship of attitudes toward mental health treatment and service use differs by age, gender, ethnicity/race and education. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 46, 45–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, W. P., Matthews, D., & Corbie-Smith, G. (2010). Psychosocial factors associated with routine health examination scheduling and receipt among African American men. Journal of the National Medical Association, 102, 276–289.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15, 1277–1288.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jaycox, L. H., Asarnow, J. R., Sherbourne, C. D., Rea, M. M., LaBorde, A. P., & Wells, K. B. (2006). Adolescent primary care patients’ preferences for depression treatment. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 33, 198–207.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kerker, B. D., & Dore, M. M. (2006). Mental health needs and treatment of foster youth: Barriers and opportunities. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76, 138–147.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kerkorian, D. (2003). Seeking help a second time: Parent/caregivers’ perceptions of barriers to their children’s utilization of mental health services in the future. Dissertation Abstracts International. 64(09), 3481 (UMI No. 3104815).

  • Kerkorian, D., McKay, M., & Bannon, W. M. (2006). Seeking help a second time: Parents’/caregivers’ characterizations of previous experiences with mental health services for their children and perceptions of barriers to future use. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76, 161–166.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kodjo, C. M., & Auinger, P. (2004). Predictors for emotionally distressed adolescents to receive mental health care. Journal of Adolescent Health, 35, 368–373.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koizumi, N., Rothbard, A. B., & Kuno, E. (2009). Distance matters in choice of mental health program: Policy implications for reducing racial disparities in public mental health care. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 36, 424–431.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kovandžić, M., Chew-Graham, C., Reeve, J., Edwards, S., Peteres, S., Edge, D., et al. (2011). Access to primary mental health care for hard-to-reach groups: From ‘silent suffering’ to ‘making it work’. Social Science and Medicine, 72, 763–772.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krefting, L. (1991). Rigor in qualitative research: The assessment of trustworthiness. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 45, 214–222.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leis, J. A., Mendelson, T., Perry, D. F., & Tandon, S. D. (2011). Perceptions of mental health services among low-income, perinatal African-American women. Women’s Health Issues, 21, 314–319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. A. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hill, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindsey, M. A., Korr, W., Broitman, M., Bone, L., Green, A., & Leaf, P. (2006). Help-seeking behaviors and depression among African-American adolescent boys. Social Work, 51, 49–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, J. S., & Rogers, L. (2004). The U.S. child welfare system: A de facto public behavioral health care system. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 971–973.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marion, M. S., & Schover, L. R. (2006). Behavioral science and the task of resolving health disparities in cancer. Journal of Cancer Education, 21, S80–S86.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McEachan, R. R. C., Conner, M., Taylor, M. J., & Lawton, R. J. (2011). Prospective prediction of health-related behaviors with the theory of planned behavior: A meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review, 5, 97–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKay, M. M., Pennington, J., Lynn, C. J., & McCadam, K. (2001). Understanding urban child mental health service use: Two studies of child, family, and environmental correlates. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 28, 475–483.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.)Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

  • Miller, K. (2005). Communications theories: Perspectives, processes, and contexts. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra, S. I., Lucksted, A., Gioia, D., Barnet, B., & Baquet, C. R. (2009). Needs and preferences for receiving mental health information in an African American focus group sample. Community Mental Health Journal, 45, 117–126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Molock, S. D., Barksdale, C., Matlin, S., Puri, R., Cammack, N., & Spann, M. (2007). Qualitative study of suicidality and help-seeking behaviors in African American adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 40, 52–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morse, J. M. (2000). Determining sample size. Qualitative Health Research, 10, 3–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morse, J. M., Barrett, M., Mayan, M., Olson, K., & Spiers, J. (2002). Verification strategies for establishing reliability and validity in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 1(2), 13–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulvaney-Day, N. E., Earl, T. R., Diaz-Linhart, M., & Alegria, M. (2011). Preferences for relational style with mental health clinicians: A qualitative comparison of African American, Latino, and non-Latino White patients. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67, 31–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murry, V. M., Heflinger, C. A., Suiter, S. V., & Brody, G. H. (2011). Examining perceptions about mental health care and help-seeking among rural African American families of adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40, 1118–1131.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Power, T. J., Eiraldi, R. B., Clarke, A. T., & Mazzuca, L. B. (2005). Improving mental health service utilization for children and adolescents. School Psychology Quarterly, 20, 187–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redmond, M. L., Galea, S., & Delva, J. (2009). Examining racial/ethnic minority treatment experiences with specialty behavioral health service providers. Community Mental Health Journal, 45, 85–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, A. L., Gilman, S. E., Breslau, J., Breslau, N., & Koenen, K. C. (2011). Race/ethnic differences in exposure to traumatic events, development of post-traumatic stress disorder, and treatment-seeking for post-traumatic stress disorder in the United States. Psychological Medicine, 41, 71–83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romano, J. L., & Nedand, J. D. (2010). The application of the theory of reason action and planned behavior to prevention science in counseling psychology. Counseling Psychologist, 36, 777–806.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, L., Kohler, C. L., Grimley, D. M., & Anderson-Lewis, C. (2007). The theory of reasoned action and intention to seek cancer information. American Journal of Health Behavior, 31, 123–134.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sandelowski, M. (1998). Writing a good read: Strategies for re-presenting qualitative data. Research in Nursing & Health, 21, 375–382.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sandelowski, M. (2000). What ever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23, 334–340.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, L., Masland, M., Ma, Y. F., & Ciemens, E. (2006). Strategies to improve minority access to public mental health services in California: Description and preliminary evaluation. Journal of Community Psychology, 34, 225–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spano, S. (2004) Stages of adolescent development: Research FACTS and findings. ACT for Youth: Upstate Center of Excellence, Cornell University. Retrieved April 24, 2012 from http://www.actforyouth.net/documents/fACT%20Sheet05043.pdf.

  • Stevens, J., Kelleher, K. J., Ward-Estes, J., & Hayes, J. (2006). Perceived barriers to treatment and psychotherapy attendance in child community mental health centers. Community Mental Health Journal, 42, 449–458.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suite, D. H., La Bril, R., Primm, A., & Harrison-Ross, P. (2007). Beyond misdiagnosis, misunderstanding and mistrust: Relevance of the historical perspective in the medical and mental health treatment of people of color. Journal of the National Medical Association, 99, 879–885.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, V. L. S., Bazile, A., & Akbar, M. (2004). African Americans’ perceptions of psychotherapy and psychotherapists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35, 19–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, R., Dancy, B. L., Wiley, T. R. A., Perry, S. P., & Najdowski, C. J. (2011). The experience of mental health service use for African American mothers and youth. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 32, 678–686.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, R., Tabone, J. K., & Cook, J. M. (in press). Predictors of engagement with mental health services among mothers of children at risk for maltreatment. Psychiatric Services. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201100394.

  • Thurston, I. B., & Phares, V. (2008). Mental health service utilization among African American and Caucasian mothers and fathers. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 1058–1067.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Topa, G., & Moriano, J. A. (2010). Theory of planned behavior and smoking: Meta-analysis and SEM model. Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 1, 23–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, E. A., & Liew, J. (2010). Children’s adjustment and child mental health service use: The role of parents’ attitudes and personal service use in an upper middle class sample. Community Mental Health Journal, 46, 231–240.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Public Health Service. (2000). Report of the surgeon general’s conference on children’s mental health: A national action agenda (p. 2000). Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, E. C., Clark, L. O., & Heidrich, S. (2009). African American women’s beliefs, coping behaviors, and barriers to seeking mental health services. Qualitative Health Research, 19, 1589–1601.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whaley, A. L. (2001). Cultural mistrust and mental health services for African Americans: A review and meta-analysis. Counseling Psychologist, 29, 513–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, P., Hoven, C. W., Cohen, P., Liu, X. H., Moore, R. E., Tiet, Q., et al. (2001). Factors associated with use of mental health services for depression by children and adolescents. Psychiatric Services, 52, 189–195.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, R. K., Tabbarah, M., Trauth, J., Nowalk, M. P., & Ricci, E. M. (2006). Predictors of lower endoscopy use among patients at three inner-city neighborhood health centers. Journal of Urban Health, 83, 221–230.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Juvenile Protective Association, 1707 N Halsted, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA

    Richard Thompson & Tisha R. A. Wiley

  2. University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Barbara L. Dancy & Cynthia J. Najdowski

  3. Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Sylvia P. Perry

  4. Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Jason Wallis

  5. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA

    Yara Mekawi

  6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Kathleen A. Knafl

Authors
  1. Richard Thompson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Barbara L. Dancy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tisha R. A. Wiley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cynthia J. Najdowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sylvia P. Perry
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jason Wallis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yara Mekawi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Kathleen A. Knafl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard Thompson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thompson, R., Dancy, B.L., Wiley, T.R.A. et al. African American Families’ Expectations and Intentions for Mental Health Services. Adm Policy Ment Health 40, 371–383 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-012-0429-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-012-0429-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation