Exploring Factors Influencing South Asian Immigrant Family Dynamics in the USA

The South Asian immigrant population is one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the USA, indicating a significant increase in individuals and families who have moved from South Asian countries to seek different opportunities. South Asian families living in the USA face personal and generational traumas that largely go unaddressed because of cultural stigmas associated with immigrating to a new country and resistance to acculturation. To aid counselors in providing culturally responsive mental health services to South Asian families, the authors provide a thorough review of the literature pertaining to (a) the transition from collectivist societies to an individualistic society, (b) risk and protective factors for families in acculturating within Western society, (c) conflicts within the parent-child relationship, and (d) mental health stigma and assumptions about the South Asian population within the context of Western communities. Counseling implications and advocacy opportunities are also discussed.