AATP Journals

Resilience and adversity among older Pacific Islanders in Southern California. Older Pacific Islanders (PIs) are one of the fastest growing adult populations in the United States who possess significant health disparities. Research often focuses on adverse health outcomes rather than positive attributes of this population. Employing a mixed-methods convergent approach, this study investigated the role resilience played in coping with adversity and the terms used to define resilience. Participants comprised a community sample of PIs 50 years or older (M = 63.5 years; SD = 8.95) residing in southern California, who completed a questionnaire and semistructured interview. Qualitative responses were examined using content analysis and coded into themes. The study sample was also grouped into high (HR) or low (LR) resilience categories to identify variations. Results showed challenges with personal and family health ranked the highest (45.7%), followed by bereavement (20.0%) and financial concerns (14.3%). External resources were the preferred coping strategies utilized to deal with adversity. Older PIs who believed the challenge provided strength for the next adverse event had significantly higher resilience scores, F(6, 25) = 3.11; p = .021. Resilience was primarily defined using individual dispositional attributes: determination, faith, inner strength, and optimism. HR and LR individuals did not significantly differ on internal assets and external resources employed, or the terms used to define resilience. This study suggests that resilience plays a key role in dealing with adversity among older PIs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Acculturative stress and self-rated mental health among Asian immigrants: Mediation role of social support. Asian immigrants experience acculturative stress during the migration and resettlement process in the United States and suffer from various mental health problems. Although extant research has identified the protective role of social support in the Asian American mental well-being, the mediation role of multiple source systems of support in the association between different acculturative stress (i.e., racial discrimination, legal status, language barrier) and self-rated mental health is not well established among foreign-born Asian immigrants. Using the counteractive model and the deterioration model as theoretical frameworks, this study aimed to examine the association between acculturative stress and poor self-rated mental health and the mediation effects of social support on this relationship. Data for this study were derived from the National Latino and Asian American Study, a cross-sectional survey of Asian immigrants living in the United States. The present study used 1,638 foreign-born Asian immigrant adults (M_age = 42.5 years). Fifty-three percent of participants were female and about 63% had lived longer than 11 years in the United States. A path analytic model was used to examine the association between acculturative stress and poor self-rated mental health and the mediation effects of social support on this relationship. Results indicated that higher acculturative stress related to racial discrimination stress and language barrier was associated with increased level of poor self-rated mental health. Acculturative stress related to legal status and language barriers were associated with social support but in opposite directions, with legal status being positively associated with social support but language barriers being negatively associated. Family support and friend support mediated the relationship between acculturative stress and poor self-rated mental health.: These findings highlight the importance of social support among Asian immigrants while taking account of their unique acculturation process and impacts of acculturative stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

A qualitative study of Asian American adolescents’ experiences of support during the COVID-19 and racism syndemic. The present study’s goal was to understand Asian American adolescents’ experiences with discussing anti-Asian racism with their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic and their perceptions of the support they received from their parents and other sources. Responses to three open-ended questions in a survey completed by 309 Asian American adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 were collected using Qualtrics Panels. Seventeen Asian ethnicities were represented in the sample, and the majority were U.S. born; 145 (46.9%) participants identified as male, 156 (50.5%) identified as female, four (1.3%) identified as gender nonconforming, two (0.6%) chose not to answer, one identified as a transgender man (0.3%), and one (0.3%) wrote in “unsure.” Data were analyzed using a consensual qualitative research-modified approach, which is appropriate for short narratives from larger samples. Findings identified five themes for anti-Asian racism discussions (i.e., silent socialization, vicarious discrimination socialization, preparation for bias, promotion of mistrust, and colorblind socialization), four themes for family support (i.e., direct support, indirect support, wish for more race-conscious support, and colorblind support), and three other sources of support (i.e., friends, social media and the internet, and school). Implications for practitioners and policymakers are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

A tale of two generations: Indian and Pakistani immigrant women’s negotiation of femininity. This qualitative study examines the ways Indian and Pakistani immigrant women negotiate femininity across two generations in the United States. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 participants (10 mother–daughter dyads, representing two generations with age ranges 45–54 and 19–26, respectively). Data were analyzed using thematic narrative analysis. Findings show that immigrant mothers negotiate femininity by giving up on certain cultural values and practices to thrive in the United States. Whereas, the daughters negotiate femininity by forging cultural identities as they juggle different norms and expectations. The findings of this study have implications for informing therapy, relationship building activities, and creating inclusive social environments for immigrant women in the United States. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Secondary traumatic stress, financial stress, and the role of coping in understanding Southeast Asian American mental health. This study advances the literature by jointly examining two stressors (secondary traumatic stress and financial stress) hypothesized to impact the mental health of the Southeast Asian American community. This study also examined how coping moderated the relationship between stress and mental health. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to test whether secondary traumatic stress, financial stress, direct and indirect coping, and the interactions between stress and coping predicted mental health. Participants included 134 self-identified 1.5-generation and second-generation Southeast Asian American adults who completed an online survey. Consistent with emerging research, increased financial stress and secondary traumatic stress significantly predicted poorer mental health. Further, indirect coping significantly predicted poorer mental health. Contrary to expectations, none of the moderation effects were significant. Post hoc analyses were also conducted. Limitations and implications for future research and practice are addressed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Internalized racism and Asian American mental health. Engaging the duality of Asian American racialization, as both a devalued other and as an idealized other, may provide a more complete understanding of internalized racism and its negative impact on Asian American mental health. In this study, we investigated how two internalized racism constructs—internalized racial and ethnic inferiority (IR-inferiority) and internalized meritocracy (IR-meritocracy)—together inform the association between racism-related stress and Asian Americans’ symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. We used structural equation modeling with robust maximum likelihood to analyze survey data from 430 ethnically diverse Asian Americans (male = 224, female = 201) between 18 and 67 years (M = 30.5, SD = 8.5). IR-inferiority was comprised of measures that reflect internalized devaluing racism, including appropriated racial oppression (Appropriated Racial Oppression Scale; Campón & Carter, 2015) and colonial mentality (Colonial Mentality Scale; David & Okazaki, 2006). IR-meritocracy incorporated measures that reflect idealized racism (Internalization of the Model Minority Myth Measure; Yoo et al., 2010) and color-blind racial ideology (Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale; Neville et al., 2000). The structural model supported a moderated mediation, such that the indirect association of racism-related stress and increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress through IR-inferiority was conditional upon levels of IR-meritocracy. Results suggest that decreasing levels of internalized meritocracy may help interrupt the ways that racism contributes to internalized inferiority, thereby promoting more positive mental health outcomes for Asian Americans. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Intersecting kapwa, resilience, and empowerment: A case study of Filipinos in Hawai‘i during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research on Filipino American resilience and empowerment is limited in its study of Filipino values. To understand how Filipino Americans address adversity from their cultural perspective, this study explores the intersection between the Filipino kapwa value system and constructs of resilience and empowerment among Filipinos in Hawai‘i in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seventeen semistructured interviews were conducted and analyzed using narrative analysis. Two values emerged in both participants’ resilience and empowerment narratives: kapwa (shared identity) and karangalan-dangal (internal dignity); five Filipino values emerged among resilience narratives: kagandahang-loob (acts of goodwill), pakikisama (companionship), lakas ng loob (inner strength), hiya (propriety), and bahala na (determination); and five values emerged among empowerment narratives: pakikibaka (resistance), pakiramdam (shared inner perception), karangalan-puri (external dignity), utang ng loob (debt of gratitude), and katarungan (justice). Limitations, future directions, and implications for practice, policy, and research regarding Filipino Americans are also discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Asian American mental health help-seeking: An Asian value-informed health belief model. The present study examined a traditional health belief model (HBM) to test if Asian American emerging adults’ depression-specific perceptions of susceptibility, severity, barriers, and benefits were related to help-seeking intentions. We additionally evaluated an Asian value-informed HBM that incorporated Asian value adherence as a predictor of health beliefs and help-seeking intentions. The traditional HBM model provided better model fit relative to the Asian value-informed HBM, but it was noteworthy that both the traditional (44.1%) and Asian value-informed (44.7%) HBMs evidenced good fit and explained relatively comparable proportions of variance in relation to mental health help-seeking intentions. Participants who endorsed Asian values were less likely to believe that they are susceptible to developing a depressive disorder (susceptibility), view the consequences of depression as less severe (severity), and be less likely to see the benefits of seeking help (benefits). In addition, perceived benefits emerged as a direct predictor of mental health help-seeking intentions in the traditional HBM and as a link between Asian values and mental health help-seeking intentions in the Asian value-informed HBM. Results highlight the importance of cultural variables and mental health beliefs on mental health care intentions of Asian Americans. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

A grounded theory of intersectional Asian American college student activism. Asian American college students have a rich history of activism and continue to fervently fight against social injustices today (Fujino & Rodriguez, 2022). Scholarship has highlighted recent examples of Asian American student activism, such as participating in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and engaging in educational and mutual aid efforts to combat the rise in anti-Asian violence during COVID-19 (Ouch & Moradi, 2022). Yet, few studies have explored how intersecting identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation) that are positioned in systems of privilege and oppression shape activism among Asian American students. This study addresses these gaps and is guided by the following questions: How do Asian American college students define, perceive, and engage in activism? How does their activism develop and operate in relation to their Asian American and intersecting identities? Using semistructured interviews with 25 Asian American college students with diverse intersectional identities and a grounded theory analysis, we developed a grounded theory of intersectional Asian American activism based on our findings. Participants’ stories offered insights into the triumphs and challenges of Asian American college students’ engagement in activism for racial justice, gender equality, and sexual minority rights in the context of their intersectional identities. Study findings point to the need for future scholarship and practice to employ intersectional approaches in order to holistically understand, motivate, and sustain Asian American activism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Filipina/x/o American ethnic/racial identity among adolescents and young adults: An integrated review of the literature. This review aims to summarize the current state of the research on Filipina/x/o American ethnic/racial identity (ERI) by addressing the question of what ERI methods have been used in prior studies when collecting data on Filipina/x/o American adolescents. It addresses (a) who is being studied, (b) where is data being collected from, (c) how data is being collected, and (d) what is being measured. Using OneSearch and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, this article reviews 21 publications from 17 empirical studies (10 quantitative, four qualitative, and three mixed methods) on Filipina/x/o American ERI among early (ages 11–14), middle (ages 15–17), and late adolescents (ages 18–21) with a focus on methodological trends. Gaps were identified by drawing from methodological trends. A little under half of the studies looked at exclusively Filipina/x/o samples. There was less focus on early adolescents and no studies on Filipina/x/os in nonurban contexts. Most of the studies used the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure but with variability in how it was scored, and most studies exclusively examined ethnic identity (as opposed to racial or cultural identity). No studies incorporated the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity or measures of identity salience. Methodological recommendations to advance future research on Filipina/x/o American youth are proposed. Future studies should (a) recruit students in middle schools and colleges, (b) examine Filipina/x/o American ERI in suburban or rural contexts, (c) incorporate subscales of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure and Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity in mixed-methods designs, and (d) utilize daily diary measures of salience and modify measures to include ethnic and racial identities as distinct prompts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

“Ew, what’s that smell?” Asian Americans’ experiences of culinary racism. Colloquially referred to as the “lunchbox moment” in popular media and anecdotal accounts, food-related discrimination appears to be a common, shared experience among Asian Americans. Yet, empirical research on culinary racism is scarce. Using a mixed methods approach with 241 Asian Americans (M_age = 21.6 years, 62% women, 34% first generation), the present study examines the prevalence, underlying themes, and correlates of lunchbox moments. Approximately half of the sample (48.5%) reported ever having a lunchbox moment. Content analysis of open-ended responses suggests that the experiences represent a range of themes, many of which involve negative reactions (e.g., bullying, negative emotions, rejecting heritage traditions). The most consistent correlates of having these experiences could be found with more negative attitudes toward current Asian-inspired food trends, though some associations with ethnic–racial identity and well-being were also evident. Culinary racism is an understudied microaggression that warrants continued investigation given its personal salience and impact. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Commentary on “Culture in cancer survivorship intervention for Asian Americans” by Cao and Cho. This commentary responds to Cao and Cho (2021) article titled “Culture in Cancer Survivorship Interventions for Asian Americans: A Systematic Review and Critical Analyses.” Evidence suggests that culturally based expressive writing and social support interventions are appropriate, valued, and effective in improving quality of life. Future efforts will be fruitful to disseminate these interventions and continue developing culturally based interventions for Asian Americans using a community based participatory approach. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Response to Lu (2024). This response addresses Lu’s (2024) commentary, which emphasizes a subset of studies reviewed by Cao and Cho (2021). About half of the Asian American cancer survivorship interventions were pilot studies with some lacking a control group, including those highlighted by Lu. All 13 reviewed studies focused on breast cancer, with only two also examining other cancer types. Concerted efforts are needed to remove barriers and to diversify foci, perspectives, and approaches. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
View Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT