Kasamahan
Nonprofit community enriching Filipino/a/x mental healthcare
Open Research
Please inform us if you find a research study is no longer open.
Stories Beneath the Surface: Intergenerational Trauma and Mental Health Service Use Among Second-Generation Filipino Americans
Jessica Ramesh, Doctoral Student
with Dr. Jacqueline Williams-Reade, PhD, MS, LMFT, Counseling and Family Sciences Program
Loma Linda University, California
Contact email: jramesh@students.llu.edu
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Colonial Mentality: An Analysis OF Acculturation, Enculturation, and Generational Differences
Carlos de las Alas, Doctoral Student
with Dr. Lisa Liu, PhD, Clinical PsyD Program
Alliant International University, Los Angeles
Contact email: cde_las_alas@alliant.edu
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Filipino American Experiences of Intergenerational Stress and Loss Related to Migration
For Interview part of the study, email - cblucena@syr.edu
Claudine Lucena, LMFT, PhD Candidate
Syracuse University
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Ethnic Cultural Identity and Eating Attitudes and Behaviors
Tara Cristobal-Rivera, Ph.D. Candidate
Humanistic Psychology Program at Saybrook University
Contact email: tcristobalrivera@saybrook.edu
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CARE (Collaborative Approach for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Research and Education) is recruiting Filipino/a/x and AANHPI caregivers
From Dr. Joyce Javier
Website for more information:
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Filipino Family Health Initiative Study
From their Research Coordinator, Jasmine Raymundo and Dr. Joyce Javier
Learn full information and enroll through their website:
filipinofamilyhealth.com
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Seeking Filipino-American Caregivers
Email to participate
Jet6582@ego.thechicagoschool.edu
CC: PPerez@thechicagoschool.edu
Joanna Torres-Dahm with Dr. Patricia Perez
The Chicago School
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Filipino American Experiences of Intergenerational Stress and Loss Related to Migration
For Interview part of the study, email - cblucena@syr.edu
Claudine Lucena, LMFT, PhD Candidate
Syracuse University
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Understanding Disclosure of Sensitive Topics to a Family Member
Email to participate - jkittleman@capellauniversity.edu
Julie Kittleman-Jackson
The Capella University
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Filipino American therapists and use of humor
Link to participate
Adrian B. Rigor, MA, RPm, RPsy
Caryl Joyce Q. Boncodin, MP, RPm
Ateneo de Manila University
Catherine Amburgey
Cornell University
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Postpartum stress in Filipinas and childhood asthma
Gladys Khem Quinlan, Pre-Doctoral Student
William James College
Contact email: GLADYSKHEM_QUINLAN@williamjames.edu
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Experiences of Filipinx American (FilAm) cancer caregivers
Link to participate
Courteney Koo, Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate
The New School
with Lisa Rubin, PhD
Contact email: FACC-STUDY@newschool.edu
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Recruitment now closed
Shared with Kasamahan. This is for participants to reference in case they would like to follow-up.
2025
Filipinas and hurtful relationships
Michelle Mendoza, PhD Student
The University of Oregon
with Krista M. Chronister
Pilipino Mental Health Professionals: A Phenomological Study Exploring Cultural Factors Between Pilipino Therapists and Clients
Maria Cristina Castro, LCPC
with Patricia H. A. Perez, PhD
Adler University
mcastro@adler.edu
Research Study on Traditional Healing Practices & Spirituality among Filipina/x/os in the U.S.
Hannah L. Rebadulla, MS
with Dr. E.J.R. David
the University of Alaska Anchorage
hlrebadulla@alaska.edu
Open Scholarships
None / Please let us know if you know of scholarships that support enriching Filipino/a/x mental healthcare
Applications now closed
Desierto Lakas Disclosure Scholarship
by Gregory G. Desierto, PsyD
Follow-up email: lakas.disclosure@gmail.com
Insights on needs and gaps of knowledge
Do you have a research topic or a topic you'd like explored by Filipino/a/x mental health professionals connected with Kasamahan? Contact Us
Need for School-based Mental Health Professionals of Filipino Descent
By Christine Marie Q. Turner, M.Ed, NCC, June 2025
August 2025 Update: View our Mental Health Blog in response to this need and gap of knowledge!
I often don’t see many school-based mental health professionals of Filipino descent, yet it is important for us to be in these spaces due to increases in youth mental health crises and after anti-Asian hate following the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, there are disparities in representation. Many of our schools are increasingly diverse, yet the school staff and school counselor populations do not reflect the growing diversity of our youth in schools.
The American School Counselor Association Member Demographics illustrate this, as well as the Pew Research Center. And many of our Filipino American youth may feel pressured by the model minority myth, yet also feel that they conform to it either. In fact, Filipino Americans can have some of the highest rates of high school dropouts, teenage pregnancy, suicidality, depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse (Flores et al, 2015; Tuazon et al., 2019), as well as lower college attainment (Ong & Viernes, 2012), compared to other Asian subgroups.
This being said, it’s important for there to be more mental health prevention, support, and treatment services for Filipino American school-aged youth.
References:
American School Counselor Association. (2023).
Member demographics. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/9c1d81ab-2484-4615-9dd7-d788a241beaf/member-demographics.pdf Flores, N., Supan, J., Kreutzer, C. B., Samson, A., Coffey, D. M., & Javier, J. R. (2015).
Prevention of Filipino youth behavioral health disparities: Identifying barriers and facilitators to participating in "Incredible Years," an evidence-based parenting intervention, Los Angeles, California, 2012.
Preventing Chronic Disease, 12, E178. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd12.150186 Ong, P., & Viernes, K. (2013).
Filipino Americans and educational downward mobility. Asian American Policy Review, 23, 21-39. Schaeffer, K. (2021, December 10).
America’s public school teachers are far less racially and ethnically diverse than their students. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/12/10/americas-public-school-teachers-are-far-less-racially-and-ethnically-diverse-than-their-students/
Tuazon, V. E., Gonzalez, E., Gutierrez, D. and Nelson, L. (2019). Colonial mentality and mental health help-seeking of Filipino Americans. Journal of Counseling & Development, 97: 352-363. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12284