Emma

We presented our findings in class, we're still waiting for the grades, but these were our findings: A. Attitude towards mental health services: 78.4% think it is essential for personal growth 10.8% think it is frivolous and unnecessary 16.2% think it is for crazy people B. On average 22% reported some symptoms of depression C. Mental health seeking behaviors: 27% of Armenian youth immigrants found it difficult to adjust to a new country 32% reported they will see a counselor/therapist if they feel sad or depressed 60% of whom reported they would seek counseling if they were diagnosed with depression/other mental illnesses D. Discussion 1. Most of the Armenian youths have a positive attitude toward mental health services. 2.The fact that about half of the Armenian youths reported inability to concentrate/focus has an implication in negative impact on academic performance. 3. Difficulty to acculturate may be a barrier to mental health services access. E. Limitation of the Study 1. Small sample size (N=37) 2. Subjects were recruited from only 4 sites 3. Subjects were primarily from families of middle to high SES (Socio-economic status) 4. Survey questions assessing depression are not from one single standardized test 5. Confounding Factor: Armenians in Glendale descent from different countries of origin, not just Armenia 19% of survey responded from different countries of origin F. Future Directions Future research to investigate… 1. Incidence and prevalence of mental illness among Armenian Youth 2. Larger study would stratify Armenian youth into different countries of origin (Armenia, Iran, Lebanon etc.) 3. Risk factors/cultural values associated with mental health 4. Barriers to seeking mental health services G. Conclusion Armenian Youth in Glendale and other Armenian enclaves have a more positive attitude toward seeking mental health services, possibly due to acculturation, which helps offset the cultural stigma has been attached to mental health for generations in Armenia.

We accept & acknowledge that, we consider that a confounding factor, however, since our study is so small (sample size N=37) and our time very limited, this has to remain a confounding factor. If we had the financial resources and time this would be a much bigger study where we would stratify Armenians of different countries of descent into different categories. Thank you everyone for taking the survey. We present the project on Monday, wish us luck!

Hi everyone, I'm a graduate student at USC Masters in Public Health Program. We are conducting a very brief survey on Mental Health in Armenian Youth in the United States and comparing it to youth in Armenia. We would greatly appreciate 5 minutes of your time. If you are between the ages 13-23 please take a moment to contribute to our survey. It is completely confidential (no name, no personal info), and the information will only be used for our class project. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=866662631898 I really appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you. Thanks Emma