Mental health focus group study recruitment flyer

Vietnamese Mothers Mental Health Focus Groups

A study with several focus groups of Vietnamese mothers about mental health issues, stigma and effective messaging.

A focus group study of Vietnamese American mothers in monolingual households was conducted to further study the effectiveness of their messaging in reducing the stigma about mental health in Asian American women demographics. The study aimed to discover information about cultural values, current attitudes, life experiences, influencers within the family, languages used when talking about mental health, barriers to seeking help, and trusted sources of information.

Goals

  • Understand the effectiveness of messaging in reducing mental health stigma among Vietnamese American mothers in monolingual households.
  • Gather insights on cultural values, attitudes, life experiences, influencers within the family, languages used when discussing mental health, barriers to seeking help, and trusted sources of information.

Approach

  • Recruit participants through community-based organizations, social media, and word-of-mouth referrals, targeting Vietnamese American mothers in monolingual households.
  • Conduct focus group discussions and written questionnaires in Vietnamese to gather qualitative data on participants’ perceptions and experiences related to mental health.
  • Collect feedback on proposed messaging aimed at reducing mental health stigma, including participants’ reasons for their choices and suggestions for improvement.

Results

  • Positive trend observed in reducing mental health stigma among participants.
  • Increased awareness of mental health conditions among participants and their families, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Majority of participants recognize the value of seeking professional help for mental health issues, with only a small number expressing feelings of shame.
  • Participants expressed openness to free counseling services and demonstrated acceptance of seeking help for mental health concerns.
  • Findings suggest that while awareness of mental health issues is high, emphasis should be placed on encouraging action and seeking support among Vietnamese American mothers in monolingual households.