Acculturation and Help-Seeking Behavior in Consultation: A Sociocultural Framework for Mental Health Service

Many immigrant and ethnic minority families demonstrate reluctance to pursue or utilize mental health services in community-based and clinical settings, which often leads to poorer quality of care for children and greater likelihood of early termination. Cultural variations in help-seeking behavior and acculturation are likely to influence consultation participation and process for mental health services. Thus, examining sociocultural context of the consultants, consultees, and clients is critical to the success of multicultural consultation and outcomes. The purpose of the article is to (a) address processes and barriers when engaging in multicultural consultation in community-based and clinical settings, (b) outline the sociocultural context in relation to parent help-seeking behavior, and (c) discuss the effect of acculturation and related sociocultural factors in the participation and process of consultation.