Structural racism and cultural barriers are among the reasons that Hispanic/Latine/x and Asian Americans are less likely than white peers to have their mental health needs met. PhD candidate Nari Yoo has received a Grand Challenges for Social Work (GCSW) 2024 Doctoral Award for her dissertation project that will harness technology for social good for Hispanic and Asian immigrants with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The fellowship provides mentorship and a $3,000 stipend sponsored by a grant from The New York Community Trust.
Nari’s dissertation project, Unraveling Ethnic Disparities: Spatial and Virtual Access to Mental Health Services among Immigrants with Language Barriers, focuses on the linguistic and cultural barriers immigrants with LEP face in accessing mental health services and the role of technology in overcoming them. “By identifying service gaps arising from structural racism,” she said, “this study aims to drive structural reforms in the educational and training systems for multilingual and multicultural social workers to close the health gaps across ethnic minorities. The anticipated findings could pave the way for tailored mental health services for Hispanic and Asian immigrants with language barriers, striving towards a more inclusively equipped workforce, in line with the GCSW’s vision of social justice and health equity.”
There are three parts to Nari’s dissertation. The first study will use computational science to determine the availability of mental health treatment in Spanish and Asian languages and examine the influence of structural xenophobia on mental health care accessibility. The second study will test emails sent to a large sample of multilingual mental health providers across the U.S. from mock clients with a) foreign- or American-sounding names and b) in English or other languages to determine if linguistic barriers and provider bias impact a client’s access to mental health services. The final study will involve qualitative interviews with Asian immigrants with LEP who have sought telemental health services in their primary language to explore their decision-making processes and experiences.
Nari, who is a pre-doctoral fellow at NYU Silver’s Constance and Martin Silver Center on Data Science and Social Equity (C+M Silver Center), said the GCSW fellowship will provide substantial support for her research agenda, give her time and resources to develop new skills in data management, and enable her to complete her dissertation on her proposed timeline.
In recommending Nari for the fellowship, her PhD Program mentor and dissertation committee chair, Dr. Doris F. Chang said “Not only does Nari have a brilliant mind, but she is also deeply kind, a generous collaborator, and truly committed to using her talents to make the world a better place. It is these personal qualities paired with her intellectual gifts that distinguish Nari as an emerging leader in social work and the interdisciplinary field of migration and mobility, with a focus on Asian American immigrants.”
Nari extended her gratitude to her dissertation committee, composed of Dr. Victoria Stanhope, Dr. Michael Park, and Dr. David Takeuchi, as well as Dr. Chang, all of whom played vital roles as her mentors throughout her research journey. Nari also expressed appreciation to Dr. Marya Gwadz and Amanda Ritchie at the C+M Silver Center for their support, which has greatly contributed to her dedication to computational methods and their application in social work research.
Nari said she chose to pursue her PhD at NYU because of the program’s unwavering commitment to equipping students to become leading researchers in the realm of health and well-being within marginalized communities, as well as advocates for social justice. The program has lived up to that reputation. Nari gave thanks to the NYU Silver PhD Program, directed by Dr. Rohini Pahwa, for their exceptional coursework, openness, and comprehensive training.