Kapwa and Utang Ng Loob: Intersections of Cultural Values in Pilipinx Communities

Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology) offers an Indigenous framework for understanding social relationships in Filipino communities. Central to Sikolohiyang Pilipino are the concepts of kapwa (shared identity and interconnectedness) and utang ng loob (debt of gratitude), which shape communal dynamics and expectations of reciprocity (Enriquez, 1975). This qualitative inquiry is guided by the research question: How is the concept of utang ng loob intertwined into the experiences of kapwa within Pilipinx American communities? This study serves to explore how core Filipino cultural values (utang ng loob and kapwa) operate in the US diaspora, and how these values shape social dynamics and influence mental health within Pilipinx Americans. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data gathered from semi-structured interviews with 20 Pilipinx and Pilipinx Americans. Additionally, five key publications on kapwa were analyzed to contextualize participant narratives. Preliminary findings highlight four themes:

1) Reverence of obligation: feeling morally bound for a service or favor,

2) Utang ng loob as a cultural norm: behaviors, beliefs, or values shared within a community/culture ,

3) (in)voluntary reciprocity: an act of repayment due to feelings of utang ng loob, usually a mutual exchange of support and assistance, and

4) finding a balance: the tension between personal boundaries and communal expectations.

This study highlights how utang ng loob both strengthens and complicates the experience of kapwa—promoting empathy and community bonds, while also imposing duties that may conflict with personal values. Each of these themes intertwines into the concept of kapwa through PA's internal feelings of maintaining relationships. Utang ng loob is not just a societal idea but a way of being in community.

These findings contribute to developing culturally responsive interventions, underscore the importance of understanding Indigenous values in therapeutic and community-based practice—especially when working with collectivist cultures in Western contexts, and integrating Indigenous frameworks into social work pedagogy to better serve Asian and Asian-Pacific Islander populations. By creating space for PA voices, particularly around experiences of kapwa and utang ng loob, we can transform treatment or intervention goals in anti-oppressive and inclusive ways. Overall, this study displays the significance of culturally rooted values toward healing.