Beyond Soft Assimilation: Integrating ACT and Culturally Adapted CBT with Chinese Immigrant Clients

Culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy (CA-CBT) has improved the accessibility and relevance of psychotherapy for diverse populations, including immigrant communities. Nevertheless, adaptation may remain incomplete when therapeutic assumptions about emotional disclosure, communication, and healing do not align with the experiences of Chinese immigrants in the United States. Using soft assimilation as a guiding lens, this conceptual paper examines how culturally adapted psychotherapy may subtly privilege Western norms despite incorporating culturally responsive techniques. Drawing on relevant literature and a composite vignette, the paper considers four influences that may be overlooked in treatment: migration histories and trauma, generational tensions, digital media, and subgroup-specific experiences. It proposes an integrative framework combining CA-CBT strategies with selected Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles, including acceptance, psychological flexibility, and values-guided action. Grounded in clinical social work, the framework also emphasizes relational meaning and the cultural and structural contexts shaping communication and coping. Rather than rejecting CA-CBT or privileging one model, the paper advocates greater therapeutic flexibility in addressing the historical, relational, and sociocultural realities of Chinese immigrant clients.