Advocacy Plan
I have thoroughly enjoyed my immersion experience with the Malaysian community. I’ve gotten to meet some really nice people who educated me about the culture, as well as some of the differences that exist within the culture. I admire the openness and courage of this community, and the way they support one another. I truly don’t think I could leave all the comforts of home to pursue an education in another country, especially not while taking on new and challenging coursework. It is also worth noting that these students are thriving in a country that does not exactly have the best track record of being welcoming to non-Americans. Identifying cultural, societal, and political factors that might negatively impact a community is an important part of being an advocate according to standards set forth by the ACA (Lewis, Arnold, House & Toporek, 2003). The xenophobia that exists in our country today is a serious problem. Although the people I talked to thankfully did not express having many experiences with oppression, I want to work to ensure that it stays that way. Xenophobia is a serious issue in our country, and I can be an advocate by speaking out against it every chance I get. I will not be silent when others make ignorant comments or stereotypic assumptions about international students. I want to actively work to create an accepting environment at Ohio State and beyond. I have also made a donation to Human Rights First, an organization that works to combat xenophobia.
Reference:
Lewis, J., Arnold, M. S., House, R. M., & Toporek, R. (2003). Advocacy competencies. Retrieved from: https://www.counseling.org/Resources/Competencies/Advocacy_ Competencies.pdf
Servant Leadership
I chose this image to represent my plan for servant leadership in the Malaysian student community. The population of Malaysian students at Ohio State has established a great organization on their own. I had to acknowledge the fact that this community does not need saving, and they will probably continue to do just fine without my help. However, that doesn’t mean I cannot contribute in small ways. This picture shows something called a Kolam, an art form that was showcased at the Malaysian Deepavali celebration I attended over the weekend. I noticed that, throughout the evening, many people were adding small amounts of colored rice to the image to contribute to the final project. In the same way, I hope to contribute in small ways so that the Malaysian Student Association can continue to thrive. I also learned that Kolams are often tributes to peaceful coexistence with other beings, which I thought was fitting for my immersion experience. When I originally began to reflect on this assignment, I thought my plan would have to be some grand gesture. After reading more about servant leadership, I realized that at the core, servant leadership is about being responsive to followers and empowering them to reach their full potential (Northouse, 2016)—and I don’t need to do anything drastic to stay true to those ideas. I reached out to the president of the Malaysian Student Association, to let him know that I am available to support MASA in any way that would be helpful. I expressed willingness to share my knowledge about counseling, since I believe that counseling can benefit any group, but ultimately I left it up to the group to decide where my strengths could be most valuable. I think it would have been unfair for me to propose something more concrete given my limited interactions with the group. It’s hard to know what the group wants or needs after only having substantial conversations with the three people I interviewed. In order to more fully grasp the needs and areas where I can contribute to this group, I will need to continue to immerse myself and get acquainted with the community. I plan to continue to keep up with the latest MASA news, and offer a helping hand whenever I can. However I end up contributing, I will know that I am serving in a responsive way, which feels good. Servant leadership is not about me. Like the little pieces of rice that make up a Kolam, I am only a small part of a much bigger picture.
Strengths-Based Needs
From my interactions and impressions so far of the Malaysian community at Ohio State, I have noted many strengths of the group. These students have faced the challenge of adapting to a new culture head-on. They have developed a supportive community, finding strength in each other and staying connected to their roots through frequent celebrations of culture. The openness of this community and their willingness to educate others about Malaysian culture is a major asset. I believe that those strong communication skills could be used to educate others and make Ohio State a place that feels more like home. I created this drawing of a microphone to represent the idea of giving this community a platform to share and to educate. If Malaysian student were given more opportunities to share their experiences, people would be more aware of the heterogeneity that exists within their culture, and we might see stereotyping and generalizing reduced. Additionally, almost all international students experience some level of acculturative stress. In a study of acculturative stress in university students, the researchers found that social support was a significant factor shown to ameliorate some of the stress that comes with adapting to a new culture (Akhtar & Herwig, 2015). With more opportunities to speak up and share, the Malaysian community can further expand their supportive network.
Systemic Challenges
I created this drawing as a commentary about a challenge that many immigrants face in the United States. As a society we tend to categorize people, whether intentionally or not, and put them into boxes, rather than seeing each person as an individual. This practice allows implicit biases to seep into interactions with persons of diversity. Banaji & Greenwald (2013) discuss this automatic categorization, and illustrate how implicit biases can unconsciously affect the way we treat others, often in damaging ways. When we think of people as categories, we make generalizations, which can lead to the proliferation of microaggressions. Microaggressions are often unintentional, and may be perceived as having a minimal effect, but research has shown that the cumulative effect of microaggressions and implicit biases can be quite damaging to the recipients (Sue, Capodilupo, Torino, Bucceri, Holder, Nadal & Esquilin, 2007). Our country’s history has created the narrative that non-Americans are people to fear and to question. Whether or not people consciously, adhere to this idea, it can be internalized as a result of socialization and manifest in the practice of aversive racism and microaggressions. As depicted in the image, these practices are restrictive. This makes it difficult for immigrants and visitors from other countries to feel accepted and validated in their identities. In my discussion with a member of the Malaysian population, I found that this sort of categorization is not only common in the United States, but in Malaysia as well. Malaysia is a fairly heterogeneous society, and there are assumptions that come with being a member of different racial and religious groups. We all have implicit biases and an innate tendency to categorize. I think it is important to be aware and keep those biases in check in order to allow people to define their own experiences and identities. Individuals should be free to break out of the boxes society imposes upon them, and our society needs to work on not creating those boxes in the first place.
References:
Banaji, M. R., Greenwald, A. G. (2013). Blind spot: Hidden biases of good people. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Sue, D. W., Capodilupo, C. M. Torino, G. C., Bucceri, J. M., Holder, A. M. B., Nadal K. L. & Esquilin , M. Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice. The American Psychologist, 62, 271-286. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.62.4.271
Annotated Bibliography
Akhtar, M. & Kröner-Herwig, B. (2015). Acculturative stress among international students in context of socio-demographic variables and coping styles. Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues, 34, 803-815. Doi: 10.1007/s12144-015-9303-4
This article summarized a study of 652 international students from various countries studying at German universities, recruited by offices of student affairs. The researchers examined how coping styles, language proficiency, amount of time spent in Germany, prior travel experience, and other demographic variables influenced the students’ levels of acculturative stress, or stress induced by adaptation to a new culture. Much of the literature in the background of the study was somewhat dated—the most recent citation was from 2007. Past studies have shown that factors like a greater cultural difference, lack of social support, and insufficient language skills are associated with higher acculturative stress for international students (p. 804). The literature also suggests that there are significant differences for people who engage in dispositional (emotion focused) vs. situational (problem focused) coping, with the latter yielding more favorable stress outcomes (p. 804-805). The researchers wanted to explore this finding in a new context. They conducted the study using the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students, the Problem-Focused Styles of Copingquestionnaire. They surveyed students aged 20-35 who had been in the country for a minimum of 4 weeks, and a maximum of 4 years. The stress scale required respondents to rate their level of agreement with certain statements on a Likert scale. Items included statements such as: “I feel rejected when people are sarcastic toward my cultural values” and “I feel sad living in unfamiliar surroundings here” (p. 813-814). The coping scale required respondents to indicate how often they engage in certain behaviors on a Likert scale ranging from “almost never” to “almost all the time.” The researchers found that homesickness, non-specific concerns, and culture shock were the highest reported stressors, and that most concerns were about missing the comforts of home rather than overt rejection in the host country. Participants personally funding their study, advanced age, lower language proficiency, and less experience travelling were all factors associated with higher levels of acculturative stress. As expected, those who engaged in more reflective, problem-focused coping style indicated lower levels of acculturative stress, but only by a small margin. Since this study was conducted in Germany, the findings are not entirely relevant to my immersion with Malaysian international students, but I can hypothesize that a similar study conducted with international students in the United States would likely show the same trends. The article cited a 2004 study that indicated that Asian international students in the U.S. experience higher acculturative stress than students from Europe. It would be interesting to explore how coping styles play a role in helping Asian international students in the U.S. manage that stress. The authors note the possible influence of social desirability in reported coping styles, so I would definitely be interested in exploring the subject further. Overall, I think it was a well-conducted study with thoughtful consideration of its limitations. I would be interested to see the study replicated in the United States, particularly at Ohio State with such a high volume of international students.
Mey, S. C. & Ng, K. M. (2010). Counseling in Malaysia: history, current status, and future trends. Journal of Counseling & Development, 88, 18-22. doi: 10.002/j.1556-6678.2010.tb00144.x
This article details the evolution of the counseling profession in Malaysia. The authors make a point to examine the unique practice of counseling in Malaysia, as well as some of the limitations and goals for further development of the profession. The literature details the development of school guidance, first recognized as vital in helping students develop the ability to make independent decisions, and later revisited as a response to a worsening drug problem among Malaysian youth. The school counseling role has also evolved from its original position of “guidance teacher,” to “counselor” (p. 18). Community counseling evolved from various nonprofit organizations and has become associated with marketing and public relations because of the time counselors must dedicate to marketing their services and promoting awareness (p. 20). Given the early stage of counseling’s development in this context, the literature is relatively recent and relevant to the current state of the profession. In reviewing the progression of the counseling profession, the author was able to identify the needs and future directions for counselors in Malaysia. Ultimately, through examination of the growth of counseling in Malaysia, the author was able to highlight several areas for improvement needed to further develop the practice in a responsive and intentional way. The author identified theoretical orientation, research, and clinical discoveries made through direct practice as three areas in need of improvement in order for school counseling to continue to grow and thrive as a profession (p. 20). Regarding community mental health counseling, the author notes, “Counseling agencies in Malaysia tend to be characterized by language and religion,” (p. 20), and argues for more cultural integration. Research also revealed that counseling resources for family, couples, and marital issues as well as substance abuse are lacking in this culture and must be addressed in the planning of counselor education programs. Understanding the state of counseling in Malaysia might help me better understand the mental health needs of my immersion population. I wish the article had provided more insight into the role of stigma in the slow development of mental health services in Malaysia. The author notes the lack of resources for family, relationship, and substance abuse counseling despite the prevalence of those issues. I would like to know more about the cause of that gap in the profession.
Mey, S. C. & Yin, C. J. (2014). Mental health and wellbeing of the undergraduate students in a research university: a Malaysian experience. Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, 233, 539-551. doi: 10.1007/s11205-014-0704-9
The purpose of the study was to evaluate how institutional changes in higher education in Malaysia influenced the mental health and wellbeing of university students, a population that is already highly susceptible to mental health concerns like depression and anxiety. The literature focused on institutional change as a significant force likely to evoke stress and anxiety for the people affected most by the transformation; in this case, university students. They also noted statistics on worldwide prevalence of mental health concerns among university students, which were slightly outdated, but still likely reflect current concerns. They used a case study model in a developing research institution in Malaysia and evaluated psychosocial symptoms of full-time students (110 in phase I, 86 in phase II) using the Interactive Self-Inventory(ISI) and the Progress Tracker Symptom Checklist(PTSCL). These scales were sent electronically to participants one year into the transformation process, and again the second year of the process. They compared the results to a pilot study that established a baseline for psychosocial functioning. They found significant increases in depression and anxiety in phase 1 of the study, coupled with increases in restlessness, pain, and impulsivity, suggesting they were experiencing an anxiety-provoking period (p. 548). In phase two, depression and anxiety were lower, but there was still concern about higher scores in the passivity and inhibited dimensions. This study may be relevant to my immersion experience with the Malaysian student population at Ohio State, as many of these students are in the midst of a transitional period of leaving their home country to pursue an education in the United States. This transition many have a significant impact on mental health and it will be important to address those concerns in planning my servant leadership. In evaluating the study as a whole, I questioned the use of the pilot study to establish the baseline for comparison. The authors note that the instruments were administered to a population of staff and students at the university, when the rest of the study was focused only on full-time students. As the authors highlight in the discussion, it would also be valuable to have more information on nature of the changes in functioning among participants.
Palmer, B. B. (2015). Concepts of mental health in Malaysia. International Journal of Mental Health, 44, 253-258. doi: 10.1080/00207411.2015.1037133
This study of individual conceptions of mental health was conducted in a group of 140 students enrolled in a beginning psychology course at a Malaysian public university. Since Malaysia is a relatively multicultural society, the author was interested in overall trends in responses as well as differences among different religions and ethnicities. Palmer reviews the mental health literature of the most prominent cultural groups in Malaysian society and highlights important values that might influence participants’ responses. In Malay culture, mental disorders are believed to be a consequence of neglecting Islamic values. Excessive and unbalanced emotion can be the source of mental illness in Chinese culture. The Buddhist culture places importance on “right” living to achieve mental health, and in Christianity, a relationship with God is the path to mental health. (p. 254). This background research is crucial in understanding the within group differences of this study. Participants in the study were asked to “Write five characteristics of mental health (kesihatan, mental)/psychological wellbeing (kesejahteraan)” along with their ethnic and religious identities (p. 254). Responses were given in Malay, translated to English and then back translated to Malay to ensure clarity of meaning. The researcher also interviewed participants to determine meaning of the responses and created categories of responses related to the same concepts. The five most prevalent categories were: rational thinking, interpersonal skills, controlling emotions, positive thinking, open-mindedness, and problem solving. There were many notable differences in responses among religious groups and ethnicities. Controlling emotions was noted more often in Buddhist and Islamic respondents than Christians. Malay participants endorsed positive thinking more than Chinese and tribal participants, but Chinese and tribal participants endorsed rational thinking more than Malays. Buddhist and Christian students differed from Islamic students in the concept of open-mindedness, seeing it as to value the relativity of viewpoints rather than to be open to religious teachings (p. 256). Palmer noted that some of the results could reflect the Western values imposed on Malaysian society through mass media. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this study because it allowed me to think about the diversity within my immersion population. The Malaysian culture is new to me, so it would be easy to make generalizations about the opinions and values of the culture as I learn about it, but it was good to be reminded that like any culture, there are many within-group differences. The study design was somewhat unconventional. Pulling out common themes in subjective responses is tricky, but I think the researcher did a good job accounting for potential errors in interpretation by taking the extra time for multiple back and forth translations and conversations with the participants. I would love to see this kind of study conducted on a larger scale, but it would be quite time consuming.
Talib, M. A. & Abdollahi, A. (2015). Spirituality moderates hopelessness, depression and suicidal behavior among Malaysian adolescents. Social Indicators Research, 122, 539-551. doi: 10.007/s11205-01400704-9
This study examined spirituality among Malaysian adolescents to examine its impact on the prevalence of suicidal behavior in those experiencing depression and feelings of hopelessness. The background literature indicates a high prevalence of suicide and suicidal ideation in Malaysian adolescents, and a trend toward a higher suicide rate in Asia. The authors cite several studies on spirituality and its effect in mediating otherwise debilitating conditions. The explanation of the background literature seemed repetitive at times, as the authors cited multiple sources with almost the exact same information. However, it did demonstrate that the findings have been consistent. The study was conducted with 1500 Malaysian students between the ages of 13 and 18. They administered the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, The Children’s Hope Scale, The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, and The SuicidalBehavior Questionnaire-Revised. Each scale demonstrated high reliability. The results showed that a high level of spirituality was able to moderate the effects of depression and hopelessness in predicting suicidal behavior. The authors suggested in the review of the literature, that given that Malaysia has a majority Muslim population, some aspects of Islamic spirituality might play a role in their findings. Suicide is considered a terrible crime in the Islamic faith, which might account for some of the differences in suicidal behavior. I would be interested to know more about the religious demographics of the participants, so that we could draw more conclusions about the role of the suicide stigma. Additionally, the study focused on a younger population, and I am curious as to whether we would see the same results with college students. That information would be more relevant to my immersion experience. I found the article hard to follow at times, and wondered whether it had been translated from a different language.