Session 2

Mental Health, Health Equity, and Social Inclusion Across Diverse Populations

P17  Asian American College Student Mental Health Equity  Initiative:   Experiences from a Minority Serving Institution in the United States

*Jieru Bai¹, Siyon Rhee¹, Ga-Young Choi¹, Anh-Luu Hohnbaum¹, Jia-Lin Liu¹

¹School of Social Work, California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Despite the “model minority” myth, Asian American students experience significant stress and stigma around mental health, yet underutilize campus services in the U.S. Literature show that Asian American college students face pressure to succeed academically and obtain high-paying careers through parental, cultural, and societal values (Cheng et al., 2016). Asian Americans ages 18 to 34 have the highest rate of suicidal thoughts and attempts, and the leading cause of death for those aged 20 to 24 was suicide compared to those of similar age groups (Kim et al., 2020). However, there is a cultural stigma surrounding mental health in Asian cultures, as it is believed that the individual should be able to solve their problems without help from others, and if help is received, then the individual is perceived as weak and is bringing shame to their family (Nguyen, 2023). As a result, Asian Americans are the least likely minority group to seek mental health services and three times less likely to seek mental health support compared to their White counterparts (Tanqueco & Patel, 2020). In response to this, a set of activities were designed to enhance the learning environment and well-being of Asian American college students. This initiative includes a story-telling project, a culturally responsive mental health social media campaign in collaboration with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and a series of AAPI Heritage Month events. These efforts will address disparities in mental health access among AAPI students.

Methods: The proposed study will adopt a mixed-methods design to evaluate the effectiveness of the initiatives in enhancing the well-being of Asian American college students. For story telling project, a narrative inquiry approach will be adopted to explore the lived experiences of Asian American college students. Through the collection of personal narratives, participants will be invited to share stories related to identity, belonging, mental health, and experiences of anti-Asian hate. Narrative inquiry allows for an in-depth examination of how individuals construct meaning through their stories over time and within specific social and cultural contexts. Data will be analyzed using narrative analysis, focusing on themes, structure, and the ways participants interpret their experiences. This approach centers students’ voices and provides an in-depth understanding of their experiences.

The social media campaign will be evaluated by a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, engaging Asian American students as active collaborators in the design, implementation, and evaluation of culturally responsive mental health campaign via social media. Students will work alongside professors and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to identify key issues, develop content, and determine effective platforms and strategies for outreach. Through iterative process of planning, action, and reflection, participants will assess the relevance and impact of the campaign and make ongoing adjustments.

For the other ad hoc events, quantitative data will be collected through pre- and post-surveys assessing mental health awareness, sense of belonging, and access to resources. This design allows for a comprehensive assessment of both measurable changes and lived experiences, providing a deeper understanding of how culturally responsive interventions influence student well-being.

P18  Cumulative Family Risk, Psychological Capital, and Depression among Vocational College Students: A Mixed-Methods Study

*Ying Huang¹, Zongwei Zhou¹

¹School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Vocational college students in China show relatively high levels of depressive symptoms, yet the mechanisms linking cumulative family risk (CFR) to depression remain insufficiently understood. In addition, little is known about how some students maintain low levels of depression despite substantial family adversity. This mixed-methods study examined whether psychological capital (PsyCap) mediates the relationship between CFR and depression, and explored the internal resources and coping strategies of high-risk, low-depression students.    

Methods: Study 1 surveyed 721 vocational college students (M_age = 18.24, 65.3% female) using measures of CFR, PsyCap (self-efficacy, resilience, hope, and optimism), and depression (PHQ-8). Mediation was tested with PROCESS Model 4 using 5,000 bootstrap samples. Study 2 conducted in-depth interviews   with nine purposively selected students with high CFR and low depression and   analyzed the data using grounded theory procedures.    

Results: CFR was positively associated with depression (r = .29, p <   .001) and negatively associated with PsyCap (r = -.36, p < .001). PsyCap   partially mediated the relationship between CFR and depression (indirect   effect β = .19, 95% CI [.15, .24]), accounting for 65.5% of the total effect.  Among the PsyCap dimensions, resilience showed the largest indirect effect.   Qualitative findings indicated that high-risk, low-depression students developed five key internal resources: realistic acceptance, sense of agency,   resilience, hope, and self-worth. Their coping strategies mainly included  active distancing, proactive action, strategic compliance to reduce loss, seeking support outside the family, and emotional release. 

Conclusions and Implications: Family adversity was associated with higher  depression partly through lower psychological capital. Students who   maintained low depression despite high family risk appeared to develop a  dynamic system of internal resources and flexible coping strategies. These findings highlight the value of strengths-based social work practice with   vocational college students facing family adversity. Rather than focusing  only on symptoms and deficits, school social work and youth services may  support students by strengthening psychological capital, expanding supportive relationships outside the family, and enhancing adaptive coping in response   to persistent family stress. The study also suggests the importance of  coordinated school-, family-, and community-based support for vulnerable youth in vocational education settings.

P19  Everyday Discrimination, Parental Psychological Distress, and Child Mental Health Among Asian American Families: An Acculturative Stress Perspective

*Xiaoya Geng¹, Yeonjeong Seo¹, Esther Calzada¹

¹School of Social Work, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Despite experiencing significant discrimination and acculturative stress as an immigrant population in the U.S., Asian American families remain underrepresented in population-based studies of family wellbeing. Research documents the harmful effects of discrimination on adult mental health, yet little is known about how parental discrimination experiences may cascade to affect children’s emotional outcomes, or how length of U.S. residence shapes this process.  Grounded in acculturative stress theory, this study examines associations among everyday discrimination, parental psychological distress, and child anxiety and depression in a nationally representative sample of Asian American parent-child dyads.

Methods: Data were drawn from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The analytic sample included 294 Asian parent-child dyads with children ages 5 to 17 (weighted to represent approximately 3.2 million U.S. children). Everyday discrimination was measured using a five-item established scale (α = .74), dichotomized as any versus none. Parental and child anxiety and depression were each measured by frequency items and dichotomized at monthly or more frequent symptoms. Covariates included child sex, developmental stage, parent sex, poverty ratio, and citizenship status. Years of U.S. residence was only categorized among foreign-born parents. All analyses used survey-weighted logistic regression.   

Results: Over half (52.3%) of Asian American parents reported experiencing any discrimination. Weighted prevalence of monthly or more frequent anxiety was 21.7% among parents and 12.6% among children; depression was 7.6% and 4.3%, respectively. Parents reporting discrimination had significantly higher anxiety (p < .001) and depression (p = .004). Discrimination was also significantly associated with child depression (p = .021). In adjusted models, parental anxiety was significantly associated with child anxiety (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.15 to 6.28), and parental depression was strongly associated with child depression (AOR = 10.50, 95% CI: 2.12 to 51.99), though the latter should be interpreted cautiously given the wide confidence interval.  Discrimination predicted child outcomes in unadjusted models but attenuated after adjusting for parental mental health, suggesting that parental distress may operate as a pathway linking discrimination to child symptoms. Among foreign-born parents, longer U.S. residence was significantly associated with greater discrimination exposure (31.8% for less than 10 years, 46.4% for 10 to 15 years, 59.1% for 15 or more years; p = .010), and a descriptive trend of increasing parental anxiety across these groups was observed, though this trend did not reach statistical significance (p = .099).   

Conclusions and Implications: These findings highlight the intergenerational toll of discrimination in Asian American families and suggest parental mental health may be a critical mechanism linking discrimination to child symptoms. Consistent with the immigrant paradox, longer U.S. residence was associated with worse outcomes, suggesting cumulative racial stress may erode initial health advantages.  These patterns are especially concerning given that Asian American mental health problems are widely underreported due to cultural stigma and model minority stereotyping. Implications include culturally responsive screening for discrimination in family-serving settings and strengths-based interventions engaging Asian American parents around the connection between their wellbeing and their children's emotional health. Limitations include inability to disaggregate by ethnic subgroup and the cross-sectional design.

P20  “Risk Factor Analysis of HIV Testing Uptake Among and   Between Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals Living with  Cognitive   Impairment”

*Fan Yang¹, Yuqi Guo²

¹School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, USA; ²School of Social Work, University of North Carolina Charlotte, USA

Abstract

Background and Purpose: LGBT individuals living with cognitive impairment face compounded vulnerabilities related to both HIV risk and barriers to preventive healthcare, yet this population remains largely understudied. Cognitive deficits may hinder health information processing, risk perception, and healthcare navigation, potentially reducing engagement in HIV testing. Guided by Aday's healthcare utilization model, this study examined multilevel factors associated with annual HIV testing uptake among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults with cognitive impairment and explored subgroup differences across sexual orientation and age.

Methods: We analyzed pooled 2015–2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. The analytic sample included 796 self-identified LGBT adults reporting cognitive impairment (weighted N = 89,724). Weighted descriptive statistics were calculated, followed by multivariable logistic regression models examining associations between HIV testing and predisposing, enabling, and need-related factors. Age- and sexual-orientation–stratified models were conducted to assess subgroup heterogeneity. To strengthen analytical rigor, machine learning techniques were integrated: Random Forest and CASMI feature selection identified key predictors, and a decision tree model was constructed to visualize interaction patterns among significant factors.

Results: Overall, 45.9% of participants reported HIV testing within the past year. HIV testing uptake varied substantially across sexual orientation groups: gay and lesbian individuals had significantly lower odds of skipping annual testing (aOR = 0.49), whereas transgender individuals had significantly higher odds of non-testing (aOR = 2.66). Across models, inability to work and binge drinking consistently predicted higher odds of not testing, while student status and non-Hispanic Black race were protective factors. Obesity emerged as an additional risk factor in bisexual and transgender models. Age-stratified analyses revealed distinct patterns: among adults under 65, low educational attainment and binge drinking were prominent predictors, whereas among adults aged 65 and older, self-employment and obesity were strongly associated with testing non-adherence. Decision tree analysis identified race as the primary decision node and education level as a secondary determinant among most racial groups, underscoring the interaction between structural and cognitive vulnerabilities.

Background and Purpose:  LGBT adults living with cognitive impairment demonstrate substantial disparities in HIV testing uptake shaped by intersecting demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and health-related factors. Transgender individuals and those experiencing employment instability or substance use appear particularly vulnerable to testing gaps. Findings highlight the need for inclusive HIV prevention strategies that integrate cognitive-accessible communication, targeted outreach for transgender communities, and structural supports addressing economic and behavioral barriers. Interventions should incorporate age-sensitive and culturally competent approaches to ensure equitable HIV screening among cognitively vulnerable LGBT populations.

P21  Barriers to Social Reintegration and Incidence of Relapse Among Rehabilitated Persons Who Used Drugs in Davao City

*Aises Carillo¹, *Jillkiah Nicole Compra¹, *Erin Mateo Roque¹

¹Department of Social Work, Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City, Philippines

Abstract

Substance use continues to be a huge public health concern in the Philippines, where Persons Who Used Drugs (PWUDs) undergo rehabilitation yearly. However, challenges related to social reintegration and relapse are still prevalent. This study aimed to explore the barriers to social reintegration and the impact of relapse incidence among rehabilitated PWUDs in Davao City. By using a descriptive correlational research design, it assessed the individual, interpersonal, and societal barriers guided by the Social-Ecological Model. A total of 33 rehabilitated PWUDs from the Region XI Outpatient and Aftercare for Drug Dependents served as the unit of analysis, focusing on their profiles, reintegration barriers, and relapse indicators. Findings showed that 68.42% of the participants relapsed within 0-6 months after discharge. A significant positive correlation was found between interpersonal barriers and period of relapse (r = 0.354, p 0.043); meanwhile, no significant relationships were observed between the other barriers and relapse indicators. This suggests that strained interpersonal relationships may affect earlier relapse among rehabilitated PWUDs. Other indicators, like frequency and urges, showcased no significant associations. Participants recommenced improved personalized recovery programs (WM 3.30), enhanced community-based support, and anti-stigma education. These findings emphasize the need for a multi-level approach to recovery, which addresses not only individual behavior but also both relational and structural factors that hinder reintegration and increase the incidence of relapse.