Lived experience of recovering from mental distress: people from Chinese cultural backgrounds living in Australia

Abstract

This study explores the lived experiences of mental distress among people from Chinese cultural backgrounds in the Australian social context, through an intersectionality lens based on social constructionism and critical race theory on mental health. It also delves into how these people have responded to challenges in mental distress and navigated their roles and identities during their recovery journeys.

The study explores the social determinants of mental distress, participants’ help-seeking patterns, complex perspectives on recovery, and discusses the roles of social workers in supporting Australian Chinese people’s recovery. By conducting 19 in-depth semi-structured interviews and applying thematic analysis, this qualitative study reveals three major themes: (1) power imbalances and mental health; (2) heterogeneity and help-seeking patterns; (3) contested notions of recovery.

Although this study applied social constructionism and critical race theory on mental health to explore the recovery pathways of mental distress, participants were impacted by both biomedical perspectives and cultural interpretations of mental distress and shame. The findings reveal that much more attention is needed to build supports for Chinese people experiencing distress in Australia, whose voices are rarely heard in mainstream mental health conversations.

This study outlines implications for Australian policies and Australian mental health care systems, mental health service providers and practitioners, informal supports, Australian social work practice, and potential further research. The research found that the Australian social context and the Chinese cultural context intersected in the participants’ complex lived experiences of mental distress, with implications for how power dynamics, identities and roles can be understood during experiences of distress and recovery.