Is It Cultural Context or Cultural Value? Unpacking Cultural Influences on Stigma toward Mental Illness and Barrier to Help-Seeking

The present research examined cultural influences on stigma surrounding mental illness and perceptions of barrier to help-seeking among Hong Kong Chinese, Chinese Americans, and European Americans. Significant cultural differences were found in the mean levels, with the two Chinese groups reporting higher levels of negativity toward the individuals with mental illness and perceived barrier to help-seeking than European Americans, and these cultural differences were accounted for by face concern. In addition, the strengths of pathways from face concern to stigma toward mental illness and perceived barrier to help-seeking were equivalent across the three cultural groups. These findings tease apart the source of cultural influences on negative attitudes toward mental illness and soliciting professional help, and underscore the importance of comparing cultural differences both at the mean level and at the structural level, but more importantly, to unpack the observed differences by testing the mediating role of cultural values.