Mental Health, Immigration, and Race - Case of Asian American

• In Event: 3520 - Section on Race, Gender, and Class Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 1. Immigration

Abstract

Throughout history, Asian Americans have been largely defined by the model minority myth, which establishes a uniform narrative of “Asian success.” However, underneath this perfect picture are serious mental health issues. Asian Americans experience mental illness at higher rates than whites and other racial groups, reporting higher “anxiety levels,” and more suicide attempts than any other race. These symptoms and behaviors occur despite the economic and educational advantages that Asians are believed to possess, as high socioeconomic status is correlated with mental well-being. As such, if Asians are doing so well, why do we see such severe symptoms, and why do Asians not ask for help? Mental health practitioners have tried to use cultural factors to explain Asian Americans’ high rates of mental illness and unwillingness to seek help, such as Confucian teachings or the concept of “saving face.” I propose instead that it is the specific trajectories of immigration history and socioeconomic status that determine how individuals develop mental illnesses and seek recovery. From 43 interviews with self-identified Asian American young adults at the University of California, San Diego who have experience with mental health issues, I argue that individuals whose parents arrived in the US as 1) refugees, 2) low-income laborers, or 3) educated, high-skilled, and high-income workers will develop different ways of coping with mental illness and require different recovery approaches. Rather than focusing on general cultural factors, we must focus on understanding family socioeconomic background and immigration trajectories “pass down” mental injuries within the family. By using the lens of immigration history and parenting, this project contributes to a wider understanding of mental health among all racial groups.

Author

• Doreen Hsu, University of California, San Diego