Document Type

Honors Paper

Advisor

Audrey Zakriski

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

The inaccessibility of mental health services among ethnic minority populations is often attributed to neatly categorized “cultural” factors or “structural” factors, as is seen in research regarding underutilization of such services among Latino populations. While these terms seek to provide clarity for complex human experiences, in natural occurrence, cultural identity and societal structure are inextricable from each other, and must be studied as such. The present study sought to examine the possible interaction effects of structural and cultural barriers on the subsequent help-seeking behaviors of Latino young adults in a qualitative investigation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight individuals of central and South American heritage between the ages of 18 and 25, with five of these individuals being recruited from Connecticut College, and the remaining three being recruited from the New London community. Each interview was recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis as described by Braun & Clarke (2006). Four major themes regarding barriers to mental health care experienced by Latino young adults emerged from this analysis, which include Absence of Information, Therapist (in)Efficacy, Family Mental Health Socialization, and Self-Reliance. These themes aid in elucidating several novel theoretical concepts, including school mental health socialization, as well as the amplification, confirmation, and promotion of adverse mental health narratives when an individual experiences specific combinations of structural and cultural barriers. Future research should examine the existence of these concepts among Latino individuals of varying ages and ethnic backgrounds. Future analyses should also work to identify facilitators to accessing mental health care among this population in order to improve how the mental health care system functions to provide culturally-informed and structurally-competent approaches to intervention and education

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The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author.