Hmong mental health providers: A hermeneutic approach to understanding their experience
Author(s):
Gensheimer, Linda
Format:
Thesis
Degree granted:
Ph.D.
Publisher:
Ann Arbor : University of Minnesota, 2005.
Pages:
192
Language:
English
Abstract:
Beginning in the late 1970s and continuing to the present day, there has been a growing population of Hmong refugees in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area. Many of these refugees have significant mental health issues due to war, refugee, and resettlement experiences. Serving this population is a growing number of Hmong mental health providers. Little is known about their experiences as they work with Hmong adults. The central research question for this study was: What is the meaning of being a Hmong mental health provider? Eleven Hmong mental health providers who have provided mental health services to Hmong adults were interviewed about their experiences and asked to describe specific experiences while doing this work. These interviews were audio taped and transcribed into text narratives. The study methodology was derived from hermeneutic phenomenology. Five major themes emerged: (a) The clash; (b) I call him uncle; (c) Deciphering the code through Hmong embeddedness; (d) Tsuaj vxm (crazy medicine); and (e) In my heart I can see that it happened that way. Recommendations for further research and practical implications for educators and those working in the field of mental health are presented.