WASHINGTON — Asian Americans are often held up as an example of a “model minority”—successful, well-educated, prosperous and healthy—resulting in a lack of scientific research on the effects of racism, discrimination and marginalization on their psychological and physical health, according to the journal American Psychologist.
A special issue of the journal entitled “Rendered Invisible: Are Asian Americans a Model or a Marginalized Minority?” features a series of articles focusing on the psychological challenges Asian Americans face in identifying and making meaning of their place in American society, as well as the effects that racism, discrimination and marginalization have on their mental health.
“The primary aim of the issue is to redress the invisibility of Asian American psychology, challenge existing stereotypes that define the Asian American experience, highlight the diversity and intersectional experiences of Asian Americans and center new and innovative research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,” said Tiffany Yip, PhD, a professor of psychology at Fordham University who guest-edited the special issue with Charissa S. L. Cheah, PhD, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Lisa Kiang, PhD, Wake Forest University; Gordon Nagayama Hall, PhD, University of Oregon; and Lillian Comas-Diaz, PhD, George Washington University. “The publication of the issue is coming at a time where the U.S. is witnessing rates of anti-Asian violence, hatred and crime that we have not seen in our lifetimes. There could not be a more poignant time to highlight the psychological experiences of Asians in America.”
Despite being the fastest growing ethnic/racial group in the United States, Asian Americans have not been a focal group of scientific interest in psychological research. Only 0.17% of all National Institutes of Health funding since 1992 has gone to projects focused on Asian Americans. This level of funding is grossly disproportionate to the percentage of Asian Americans in the United States, which is 6% of the population, and researchers are calling for allocation of funds to match population distributions. Nationally representative datasets, which require large financial resources, often do not contain sufficient numbers of Asian Americans to allow for meaningful analysis.
The special issue comes at a time when discrimination against Asian Americans is at the forefront of public consciousness, said Yip. The COVID-19 pandemic reinvigorated old stereotypes, unleashed new manifestations of xenophobia, and contributed to unprecedented numbers of hate crimes targeting Asians and Asian Americans. While the overall rates of hate crimes dropped by 7% in 2020, hate crimes targeting Asians and Asian Americans in the United States rose by 149%, according to the Center for the Study of Hatred and Extremism. In March 2021, six women of Asian ancestry were fatally shot in the Atlanta area, and while the alleged perpetrator claimed that the shootings were not racially motivated, he targeted three Asian businesses, heightening fear and concern in the Asian American community nationwide.
“The special issue is an opportunity for our community of psychological professionals to make the invisible visible,” said Yip. “It's an opportunity to center the marginalized experiences of Asian Americans and spotlight their unique experience in the U.S. We cannot simply extrapolate the experiences of other groups to understand the Asian American experience.”
Among the articles in the special issue:
- “Demystifying and addressing internalized racism and Oppression Among Asian Americans” (PDF, 213KB)opens in new window, by Wei-Chin Hwang, PhD, Claremont McKenna College.
Among the most detrimental effects of systemic racism is the internalization of racist beliefs by those who are the targets of oppression. When ethnic minorities internalize racist worldviews and biases, they devalue themselves and their community, ultimately creating division and reinforcing systems of oppression. This article stresses the importance of understanding the causes and effects of internalized racism to combat its impact on this community.
Contact: Wei-Chin Hwang, PhD
- “Overcoming constraints of the model minority stereotype to advance Asian American health” (PDF, 331KB)opens in new window, by Jacqueline H. J. Kim, PhD, and Annette L. Stanton, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles; and Qian Lu, PhD, MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Asian Americans have long been understudied in health, and adequate knowledge about Asian Americans’ health is scarce. A key contributor to the knowledge gap may be the stereotype that Asian Americans are well-off with regard to health. The authors present examples that challenge this model minority stereotype. Initial recommendations are also provided to invite collective action for advancing Asian Americans’ health.
Contact: Jacqueline H. J. Kim, PhD
- “COVID-19 anti-Asian racism: A tripartite model of collective psychosocial resilience” (PDF, 436KB)opens in new window, by Hsiu-Lan Cheng, PhD, Jason Reynolds (Taewon Choi), PhD, University of San Francisco; Helen Youngju Kim, PhD, Kaiser Permanente-Walnut Creek; Yuying Tsong, PhD, California State University, Fullerton; and Y. Joel Wong, PhD, Indiana University, Bloomington.
Anti-Asian racism has spiked since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, creating compounded threats to Asian Americans’ psychological well-being on top of other pandemic stressors (e.g., fears of infection, financial insecurity, quarantine isolation). COVID-19-related anti-Asian racism underscores the relevance of race and racism during public health crises and highlights the importance of examining the psychological impacts of racialized stress and avenues for resilience during a pandemic. This article highlights three key areas—critical consciousness of discrimination as a common fate, critical consciousness-informed racial/ethnic identity, and advocacy—as avenues for fostering resilience against the pernicious effects of anti-Asian racism.
Contact: Hsiu-Lan Cheng, PhD
- “Risk and resilience among Asian American youth: Ramifications of discrimination and low authenticity in self-presentations” (PDF, 436KB)opens in new window, by Suniya Luthar, PhD, and Nina Kumar, Authentic Connections; and Ashley Ebbert, Arizona State University.
Youth in high-achieving schools are considered at risk given ongoing pressures to excel, and Asian American students in such schools can experience additional challenges. This study reveals robust links between feelings of ethnic discrimination and of low authenticity (showing their “true selves” to others) with students’ depression, anxiety and isolation at school. Findings highlight the need for concerted attention to vulnerabilities of so-called model minority youth and families, especially in light of the recent increased racism toward Asian Americans.
Contact: Suniya Luthar, PhD
- “Beyond STEM: The invisible career expectations of Asian American high school students” (PDF, 394KB)opens in new window, by North Cooc, EdD, and Grace MyHyun Kim, PhD, University of Texas at Austin.
Using a large, nationally representative sample of high school students followed into their postsecondary years, this article provides a nuanced portrait of Asian American adolescents’ early career interests, expectations and paths that is often obscured by their overrepresentation in science, technology, engineering and math occupations. The study has implications for supporting Asian American youth interested in non-STEM career paths and challenging stereotypes of Asian Americans.
Contact: North Cooc, PhD