The Use of Traditional Chinese Culture and Values in Social Work Health Care Related Interventions in Hong Kong

Abstract

This column presents information about traditional Chinese values and 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 relevance of traditional Chinese culture and practices to effective therapeutic techniques among Chinese population in Hong Kong that is imbued with this culture. (We acknowledge that not all Hong Kong Chinese, who constitute 95 percent of Hong Kong's population follow this traditional way of life.) USING TRADITIONAL CHINESE CULTURE TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTIONS The following examples describe some of cultural and behavioral characteristics of traditional patients and their families and indicate how these characteristics can be used to facilitate successful social work practice in health and mental health settings (Chan, 2001). Value Placed on Learning 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 (Ho, 1986). Instructions using a cognitive--behavioral training approach have been found to generate good responses (Leung, 1997). In counseling groups for cancer patients, as well as anxious or depressed single parents and divorcees, programs were packaged in form of training classes (Chan et al., 1996; Law et al., 1998). The participants were active in doing their home-work assignment and participated actively in learning breathing exercises and acupressure points during classes (Chan & Chow, 1998). Such psychosocial-educational intervention may be more facilitative for a traditional Chinese population than an emotion-focused intervention (Chan & Chow). Use of Culture and Tradition To prevent clients from feeling a loss of face, social workers may use a consultation approach, which involves older family members and parents as consultants instead of clients (Bond & Hwang, 1986). Chinese people, who are pragmatic, willingly participate in collective problem solving if they are not seen as the client but as helpers. A bereavement center in Hong Kong invited bereaved husbands to share their experiences as men with focused goal of helping a female social worker understand men in grief. These widowers were then more willing to share their feelings because they felt that they were contributing to social worker's ability to help other bereaved men. If social worker can show a sincere appreciation of individual's pride in Chinese ethnicity and respect for Chinese cultural norms, clients often show a beneficial therapeutic effect. Respect for Rituals Traditional Chinese families continue to participate in family rituals and celebrate major Chinese festivals. Such practices enhance family interactions that legitimize showing of concern for one another during such events as illness or death of a family member. Families may go as a group to sweep 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 pain of bereavement and hasten recovery (Chan, 1998a, 1998b; Chow, 1995; Yang, 1995a, 1995b). During major festivals such as full moon dinner, dragon boat festival, end of year gatherings, and Chinese New Year, there are family meals and social exchanges of gifts and good wishes. Such gatherings may be an important source of information for social work diagnosis involving health and mental health problems. …