The assumption that Asian-American and Pacific Islanders in the United States are a largely successful and well-integrated monolith, or "model minority," stands in stark contrast to the lived experiences of such a diverse group of people. The heterogeneity of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders, who are comprised of over 43 subgroups with over 100 languages and dialects, makes identifying mental health needs difficult1. There are over 2.2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders living with mental illness in the United States, and each individual differs ethnically, linguistically, culturally, financially and socio-politically1.
Consistently, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders underutilize mental health services compared to other minorities and non-minorities. When Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders do seek services, they are more likely to see a general physician, religious figures or community members rather than a mental health professional1. Treatment challenges include developing culturally valid assessments, combating stigma reduction and traversing language barriers. In many Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities, traditional forms of socialization confine women to gender specific roles and expectations. Failing to meet obligations such as maintaining family structure or responsibility for one’s children’s education, even to the detriment of individual career and personal ambitions, can put immerse stress on women2. Strong ties to countries of origin and a greater likelihood to live in more ethnically and socially segregated communities, make confronting traditional cultural values more difficult. These gender-specific mental health disparities persist with age as senior Asian-American women have the highest suicide rates compared to any other race3.
During this May’s Asian Pacific Heritage Month, the Ethnicity and Health in America Series will shine a spotlight on the contributions of distinctive Asian-American and Pacific Islander women in the field of psychology. This month, we are highlighting the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islander women who were the first inaugural women of color to occupy prominent leadership roles in their respective fields. We will be highlighting a different prominent woman every week in conjunction with the I Am Psyched! Women's Firsts series. This second installment in the series, I Am Psyched! for Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month panel will hosted by APA Women’s Program Office, APA Health Disparities Office and APA Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs, and held at APA headquarters on Wednesday, May 16, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.