We are working to identify trends in “Somatization”, or the misidentification of mental health symptoms as physical issues, in South Asian college-age students at the University of Texas at Austin.
To bring forth this study, we are studying the links between physical complaints and mental diagnosis documented for patients within partner clinics.
Using UT Austin’s Suicide Prevention training as a foundation, we conducted focus groups with South Asian students and mental health providers to explore how the program could be more culturally responsive. Our goal is to publish and share this tailored training on the ground.
What we have noticed is a differing mindset towards mental health care within South Asians, representing itself through certain behaviors and thoughts.
We are conducting field-level research into sociocultural attitudes towards mental health treatment, hoping to identify potential trends between age groups.
This research will lay the groundwork for future community outreach efforts.
We received access to all patient records from universities in the US to examine differences in suicide risk and gender moderation between South Asian students and their non-South Asian counterparts.
We are studying trends in symptom severity (depression anxiety, substance abuse, etc.) amongst South Asian students at UT Austin in comparison to their non-South Asian counterparts.
