Closing the Acculturation Gap

Abstract

As the minority population of the United States grows rapidly, there is an increased need for culturally attentive counseling. East Asian Americans are a particularly large group among U.S. minorities, and their culture is distinct from those of other Asian groups. Their values are rooted in Confucian values and teachings, including the importance of respect, family, emotional restraint, saving face, and others. When these families immigrate to the United States, they face the process of acculturation, which affects members of the family differently, according to generation. East Asian Americans often present in counseling with acculturation-related conflicts between parents and children. Family counselors can use a Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) approach for family counseling to provide a problem-solving orientation to suit these clients. The theory is adaptable to fit clients’ worldviews, and its application can be used in a family-focused way that aligns well with this collectivist culture’s way of viewing themselves. A case example and transcripts illustrate the application of SFBT principles and techniques with a Chinese American multigenerational family.