PARTICIPATION IN AND OUTCOME OF TREATMENT FOR MAJOR DEPRESSION AMONG LOW-INCOME ASIAN-AMERICANS

This study examined the relationship of four aspects of psychiatric tr eatment (use of medication, client-therapist ethnic match, treatment i n an Asian-specific clinic, and professional therapist) to participati on in treatment and outcome of treatment in low income Asian-American clients (n = 273) of the Los Angeles County mental health system who w ere diagnosed with major depression. Based on cultural responsiveness theory, the study tested the hypothesis that use of medication in trea tment would have the greatest effect on participation and outcome foll owed, in order, by client-therapist ethnic match, treatment in an Asia n-specific clinic, and treatment by a professional therapist. The hypo theses were largely supported: treatment with medication had a signifi cant relationship to total number of treatment sessions (participation ) and improvement in the admission-discharge Global Assessment Scale ( GAS) score (outcome). Treatment by a therapist of the same ethnicity a s the client and treatment in an agency designated to provide services to Asian clients both had significant relationships to the number of treatment sessions but not to GAS score improvement. Four covariates i ncluded in the analysis and treatment by a professional therapist had no relationship to either of the dependent variables.