Therapist experiences working with Asian American college students

This qualitative exploratory study examined therapist experiences in working with Asian American clients at a university counseling center. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 licensed therapists of diverse ethnic backgrounds to explore the presenting concerns and treatment approaches used in their work with Asian American clients. Data were analyzed within a consensual qualitative research (CQR) framework to identify themes informed by the research questions. Family stress was the most frequently reported presenting problem, followed by identity search, emotion regulation, academic stress, stereotypes and discrimination, and acculturative stress. Therapists discussed insight-oriented and directive approaches with equal frequency and often integrated approaches according to the needs of the client. Most therapists reported discussing ethnic match in therapy, and perceptions of ethnic match as favorable or unfavorable seemed to vary across cases. Findings highlight the value of research in delivering culturally responsive treatments for Asian Americans.