Being Social Means Being Happy? The Relationship Between Social Life and Mental Health Among Asian American College Students

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Abstract

Using a large longitudinal national dataset, we analyzed 950 Asian American college students to explore associations between diverse social experiences and perceived mental health compared to other racial groups. Asian American college students appeared to show lower levels of mental health, spend less hours on social activities, and feel less connected to their friends and colleagues compared to their non-Asian counterparts. In longitudinal analysis, Asian American college students reported a higher level of mental health and are more satisfied with their social experience in their senior year compared to their freshmen year. For Asian American college students, gender, perceived social confidence, and perceived sense of community were significant predictors of mental health. Practical implications and recommendations for research are discussed.

Authors

• Katie K. Koo, University of Georgia

• Kyoung Jin Kim, University of North Texas

• Jiyoon Yoon, The University of Texas - Arlington