Date of Award

8-22-2025

Date Published

September 2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Advisor(s)

Kevin Antshel

Keywords

ADHD;Asian;Asian American;College students;Help-seeking attitudes;Treatment utilization

Subject Categories

Clinical Psychology | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Background: Asian/Asian American (AA) college students are least likely to engage with ADHD treatment compared to other racially minoritized groups, which may increase their risk for negative outcomes from untreated ADHD symptoms. Public stigma of ADHD contributes to these negative help-seeking attitudes. This study used the minority stress theory to examine if the distal and proximal stress of internalization of the model minority myth, a racial stereotype, influences the relationship between public stigma and help-seeking attitudes. Methods: Participants were undergraduate students recruited from nine geographically diverse universities in the United States. Data was collected over two academic years and included 364 AA students with three or more current symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity and/or inattention that occur ‘often’. All students were treatment naïve for ADHD symptoms. Participants completed measures assessing public stigma of ADHD, openness towards mental health help-seeking, value of mental health help-seeking, internalization of the model minority myth, acculturation, and demographic variables in an online survey. Results: Regression analyses showed that public stigma was positively associated with openness toward help-seeking but negatively associated with perceived value of seeking help. Greater model minority myth internalization strengthened both associations by increasing openness to help-seeking but further decreasing perceived value in the context of high public stigma of ADHD. Exploratory analyses demonstrated non-significant differences in study variables by AA subgroup. Discussion: These findings underscore the complex effects of public stigma on help-seeking attitudes, with the model minority myth intensifying these dynamics. The results suggest that while AA students may be open to seeking help for ADHD, they may devalue its potential effectiveness, especially when internalized cultural pressures emphasize self-reliance and academic success. The findings have important clinical implications for developing culturally sensitive interventions for AA students with ADHD. Interventions should address both public stigma and the internalized pressures of the model minority myth. Future research is needed to further investigate how cultural factors and demographic differences affect ADHD help-seeking behavior in AA populations.

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