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Essay on Chinese Cultural Influences on the Health of Women
Chinese values and "ways of thinking" and how such values and understandings may affect or hinder a Western approach to social work practice. We suggest approaches that practitioners can use to adjust their practice to acknowledge and build on cultural values in ways that are therapeutic in health and mental health settings. We examine primarily the relevance of traditional Chinese culture and practices to effective therapeutic techniques among the Chinese population in Hong Kong that is imbued with this culture. Because many Chinese people put considerable emphasis on academic achievement, social workers can design courses or programs that are educational in nature.
Traditional Chinese come to classes more readily than to less formal groups because they are more willing to learn in a formally structured environment. Instructions using a cognitive--behavioral training approach have been found to generate good responses. In counseling groups for cancer patients, as well as anxious or depressed single parents and divorcees, programs were packaged in the form of training classes. The participants were active in doing their "home-work assignment" and participated actively in learning breathing exercises and acupressure points during the classes. Such psychosocial-educational intervention may be more facilitative for a traditional Chinese population than an emotion-focused intervention.
Traditional Chinese families continue to participate in family rituals and celebrate major Chinese festivals. Such practices enhance family interactions that legitimize the showing of concern for one another during such events as the illness or death of a family member. Families may go as a group to sweep the graveyard of ancestors twice a year and make wishes in public for good health for all family members. Death rituals can be used also to reduce the pain of bereavement and hasten recovery. During major festivals such as the full moon dinner, the dragon boat festival, end of the year gatherings......
