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There is scant research on how Asian American adolescents’ resiliency relates to mental well-being in adulthood. The objective of this study was to determine the prospective associations between resiliency factors (individual, family, and school community) in adolescence and mental health outcomes in adulthood, among a national sample of Asian Americans. We analyzed data from 1020 Asian American adolescents who were followed for 14 years in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Of the resiliency factors, individual self-esteem (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 0.54, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.37–0.79) and family connectedness (AOR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65–0.93) in adolescence were found to be protective against adult mental health outcomes in logistic regression models adjusting for sociodemographic factors and baseline mental health. Our study identified individual and family resiliency factors which can be leveraged to help Asian American adolescents and families in cultivating better mental health.

The purpose of this research is to understand how violence acts as a preceding event to a change in Asian adoptees' identities. I use the word 'violence' to encompass a wide range of experiences and events including 20th-century US-Asia wars, hate crimes, mass shootings, sexual violence, bullying, microaggressions, harassment, and more. This research includes violence that is experienced on not only an interpersonal level such as direct physical and psychological violence, but also on a cultural and collective level. In trying to understand this relationship between violence and identity, I use Identity Theory to analyze the contents of eleven interviews with Asian adoptees from Korea, China and Vietnam living in the US. I found that violence influenced identity changes in four major ways: vicarious victimhood, solidarity with other minorities, racial discrimination, and exclusion by other Asians. Master of Science The purpose of this research is to understand how violence may influence changes in Asian adoptees' identities. This research examines violence that is experienced on not only an interpersonal level such as direct physical and psychological violence, but also on a cultural and collective level. I used Identity Theory to analyze the contents of eleven interviews with Asian adoptees from Korea, China, and Vietnam living in the US. I found that violence influenced identity changes in four major ways: in response to violence against Asians during the COVID-19 pandemic, solidarity with other minorities, racial discrimination, and exclusion by other Asians.

For centuries, Asians living in the U.S. have had to negotiate between the narratives that dominant society has imposed upon them and their understanding of what it means to be Asian and Asian American. When combined with the hierarchies of racial categories, the narratives underlying monoracialism are inherently limiting, obscuring their nuanced experiences, and stripping them of their ability to express the personal constructions of their identity The purpose of this qualitative case study was to elevate the voices of Asians and Asian Americans, their process of “inventing” their identity, and how their conceptualizations begin to deconstruct and challenge monoracialism. I argue that Asians and Asian Americans engage in a process where the interpretation and revision of meaning that emerges during interactions with others can illuminate the role of master narratives and how they negotiate between these structural factors and their ideas of what it means to be Asian or Asian American. The findings suggest a negotiation between master narratives at the macro-, meso-, and micro-societal levels that help them understand what it means to be Asian and Asian American.

The COVID-19 outbreak caused global disruptions in all aspects of life. Social distancing regulations were enforced in an attempt to halt virus spread. Universities across the country closed for in-person instruction and activities, transitioning to remote learning. University students faced unprecedented challenges and stressors, especially Asian American students due to COVID-19-associated xenophobic attitudes, harassment, and assault against people of Asian complexions. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences, coping, stress, and adjustment of Asian American students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary analyses were conducted on the survey responses of 207 participants (n = 103 Asian American university students, n = 104 non-Asian American students) from a larger-scale study, which focused on adaptation to the university, perceived stress, ways of coping, and COVID-19-specific factors. A series of independent samples t tests and regression analyses showed significant relationships between some university adjustment factors, ways of coping methods, and race with perceived stress and COVID-19 factors. Implications, limitations, and ideas for future directions in research are discussed.

Background: Young adults often derive self-identity from affiliation with peer crowds, which may be defined as reputation-based peer groups centered around characterizable lifestyle norms. Little is known about peer crowds prevalent among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations and the peer crowds’ normative tobacco and other substance use behavior. To address this gap in knowledge, this study conducted focus groups with young adult community college students. Methods: Focus group discussions were conducted with a convenience sample of 42 young adults (Mean age = 21.5, SD = 2.7) recruited across community colleges on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. The participants represented 60% women, 55% NHPI, and 29% Asian American. Results: Results indicated the presence of a wide range of peer crowds in the population, which may be classified into the following seven categories prevalent in the literature: Regular, Academic, Alternative, Athlete, Geek, High Risk, and Popular. Several peer crowds within the Alternative, Athlete, Geek, High Risk, and Popular categories appeared to represent subcultures relevant for NHPI young adults. High-risk peer crowds were reported to be vulnerable to different types of substance use. Tobacco product use, particularly e-cigarette use or vaping, was noted to be characteristically present among Popular crowds and certain Athlete crowds. Conclusion: Tobacco and other substance use prevention interventions, such as mass media campaigns, may benefit from targeting high-risk peer crowds, especially those relevant for NHPI young adults, who are at high risk for tobacco and other substance use. E-cigarette use prevention interventions may benefit from paying close attention to vulnerable Popular and Athlete groups.

Background Despite recognition that the health outcomes of Asian American subgroups are heterogeneous, research has mainly focused on the six largest subgroups. There is limited knowledge of smaller subgroups and their health outcomes. This scoping review identifies trends in the health outcomes, reveals those which are under-researched, and provide recommendations on data collection with 24 Asian American subgroups. Methods Our literature search of peer-reviewed English language primary source articles published between 1991 and 2018 was conducted across six databases (Embase, PubMed, Web of Sciences, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Academic Search Complete) and Google Scholar, yielding 3844 articles. After duplicate removal, we independently screened 3413 studies to determine whether they met inclusion criteria. Seventy-six studies were identified for inclusion in this review. Data were extracted on study characteristics, content, and findings. Findings Seventy-six studies met the inclusion criteria. The most represented subgroups were Chinese (n = 74), Japanese (n = 60), and Filipino (n = 60), while Indonesian (n = 1), Malaysian (n = 1), and Burmese (n = 1) were included in only one or two studies. Several Asian American subgroups listed in the 2010 U.S. Census were not represented in any of the studies. Overall, the most studied health conditions were cancer (n = 29), diabetes (n = 13), maternal and infant health (n = 10), and cardiovascular disease (n = 9). Studies showed that health outcomes varied greatly across subgroups. Conclusions More research is required to focus on smaller-sized subgroup populations to obtain accurate results and address health disparities for all groups.

In “Rail Road Standard Time” and “The Eat and Run Midnight People,” published in the short story collection titled The Chinaman Pacific and Frisco R.R. Co. (1988), Frank Chin focuses on several issues such as cultural heritage and transmission, identity, railroad narrations, food, and masculinity. In the first short story, Chin is going to his mother’s funeral, and during this journey, he jumps between his memories that help the reader to see the trails of his Chinese American identity formation. In the second story, Chin once more returns to his memories by taking up the role of the narrator and reveals the issues of double discrimination, masculinity, and the influences of American culture on his identity formation. The aim of this article is to analyze Chin’s selected short stories from a thematic and social perspective. The article also aims to reveal how the author tries to maintain his ethnicity and reflect his identity molded by two different cultures. Frank Chin, The Chinaman Pacific ve Frisco R.R. Co. (1988) adlı kısa öykü kitabında yayımlanan “Rail Road Standard Time” ve “The Eat and Run Midnight People” isimli öykülerinde kültürel miras ve aktarım, kimlik, demiryolu anlatıları, yemek ve erkeklik gibi çeşitli konulara odaklanmaktadır. İlk kısa öyküde Chin annesinin cenazesine gitmektedir ve yolculuk esnasında okuyucunun Çinli Amerikalı kimlik oluşumunun izlerini görmesine yardımcı olan anılarından bahseder. İkinci hikâyede Chin, anlatıcı rolünü üstlenerek tekrar anılarına geri döner ve çifte ayrımcılığın, erkekliğin ve Amerikan kültürünün şahsi kimlik oluşumundaki etkilerini gözler önüne serer. Bu makalenin amacı Chin’in seçilmiş iki öyküsünün tematik ve toplumsal bir bakış açısıyla analiz edilmesidir. Makalede aynı zamanda yazarın nasıl kendi etnik kökenini korumaya ve iki farklı kültürün şekillendirdiği kimliğini yansıtmaya çalıştığı da ortaya koyulacaktır.

Choosing a college major is an important decision, setting the academic trajectory for undergraduate students. Therefore, extensive researched has been conducted to understand the influential factors in their college major decision-making process. While existing research posits personal interests as the main influential factor, studies have found that parental influence and other external factors play a critical role in Asian American students’ decisions. For these students who are heavily influenced by external factors, the impact of their decision on their overall college experience is unknown. Because Korean and Chinese American college students reported experiencing lower levels of sense of belonging compared to their Asian ethnic peers (Li, 2018) despite having among the highest rate of degree attainment, this study focused on the experiences of East Asian American college students. Using a phenomenological approach, this study explored the potential contribution of college major decision on the overall college experience and sense of belonging for nine second-generation East Asian American students. To guide the study, a conceptual framework incorporating Astin’s (1991) Input-Environment-Output Model, Accapadi’s (2012) Point of Entry Model for Asian American Identity Consciousness, and Cultural Identity Theory was constructed. The findings supported existing literature that personal interest was a significant factor in participants’ college major decision, but parental influence and cultural values were found to also play an integral role in this decision and continued to impact the ways in which participants navigated their undergraduate career. While mixed findings were discovered regarding participants’ belonging in their major, participants largely experienced belonging through the social connections built on campus. Overall, the findings of the study revealed the complexities that participants had to navigate through in their college major decision and demonstrated the interconnectedness of their decision with their academic and social experience and overall sense of belonging. Furthermore, these findings indicate the need for further research on the experiences of East Asian American students and Asian American students broadly to better support this student population.

Koreans and Korean Americans (KAs) have limited HPV knowledge and awareness. KAs share a culture with Koreans, and this culture has affected their behavior around HPV. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the factors associated with HPV vaccination among Koreans and KAs. The literature search was done with four databases. The vaccination rate, awareness and knowledge of HPV, and factors associated with vaccination intention were identified. Eighteen articles were selected. Koreans and KAs had low levels of HPV knowledge and awareness. Perceived benefits and seriousness were associated with vaccination intention. Cervical cancer history, beliefs that their daughters need a pap smear test, sexual intercourse experiences, occupation, low education, and income were associated with vaccination intention. This systematic review discovered that HPV vaccination behavior is associated with HPV vaccine awareness, perceived benefits of the vaccine, and the perceived seriousness of HPV infection among Koreans and KAs. Based on the results, we suggest healthcare providers provide a HPV vaccine recommendation by emphasizing the benefits of the vaccination to Koreans and KAs. This study can be the basis for developing interventions to increase HPV vaccination by guiding the target population and variables, as well as the intervention content.

This is a pre-data collection registration of Study 3 by Maddux et al. (2008, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin), described fully in "replication_report.Rmd." All planned analyses and exclusions are reported. The planned sample size is 80 participants and the rationale and calculations for this sample size are given in the report.

Nearly 318,000 U.S. military Veterans identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander. Comprising 6% of active-duty service members, they are a fast-growing segment of the future Veteran population. Their unique healthcare needs, however, remain understudied. We propose to provide a comprehensive overview of health services research focused on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander military Veterans and identify knowledge gaps and opportunities.

Purpose Cancer is the leading cause of death for Asian Americans. However, few studies have documented supportive care needs from the perspective of Asian American cancer patients. This study describes the needs reported by Asian American patients with colorectal, liver, or lung cancer over a 6-month period during their treatment. Methods Participants were recruited through the Greater Bay Area Cancer Registry and from cancer care providers in San Francisco. Participants self-identified as Asian or Asian American; were age 21 or older; spoke English, Chinese, or Vietnamese; and had stage I–III colon, rectum, liver, or lung cancer. Participants were matched with a language concordant patient navigator who provided support during a 6-month period. Needs were assessed by surveys at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Results Among 24 participants, 58% were 65 years or older, 42% did not complete high school, and 75% had limited English proficiency (LEP). At baseline, the most prevalent needs were cancer information (79%), nutrition and physical activity (67%), language assistance (54%), and daily living (50%). At the 3- and 6-month follow-up surveys, there was a higher reported need for mental health resources and healthcare access among participants. Conclusion In this pilot study of Asian American cancer patients who predominantly had LEP, participants reported many needs, with cancer information and language assistance as the most prominent. The findings highlight the importance of culturally and linguistically appropriate patient navigators in addressing supportive care needs among cancer patients with LEP. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03867916.

Frank Chin, The Chinaman Pacific ve Frisco R.R. Co. (1988) adlı kısa öykü kitabında yayımlanan “Rail Road Standard Time” ve “The Eat and Run Midnight People” isimli öykülerinde kültürel miras ve aktarım, kimlik, demiryolu anlatıları, yemek ve erkeklik gibi çeşitli konulara odaklanmaktadır. İlk kısa öyküde Chin annesinin cenazesine gitmektedir ve yolculuk esnasında okuyucunun Çinli Amerikalı kimlik oluşumunun izlerini görmesine yardımcı olan anılarından bahseder. İkinci hikâyede Chin, anlatıcı rolünü üstlenerek tekrar anılarına geri döner ve çifte ayrımcılığın, erkekliğin ve Amerikan kültürünün şahsi kimlik oluşumundaki etkilerini gözler önüne serer. Bu makalenin amacı Chin’in seçilmiş iki öyküsünün tematik ve toplumsal bir bakış açısıyla analiz edilmesidir. Makalede aynı zamanda yazarın nasıl kendi etnik kökenini korumaya ve iki farklı kültürün şekillendirdiği kimliğini yansıtmaya çalıştığı da ortaya koyulacaktır., In “Rail Road Standard Time” and “The Eat and Run Midnight People,” published in the short story collection titled The Chinaman Pacific and Frisco R.R. Co. (1988), Frank Chin focuses on several issues such as cultural heritage and transmission, identity, railroad narrations, food, and masculinity. In the first short story, Chin is going to his mother’s funeral, and during this journey, he jumps between his memories that help the reader to see the trails of his Chinese American identity formation. In the second story, Chin once more returns to his memories by taking up the role of the narrator and reveals the issues of double discrimination, masculinity, and the influences of American culture on his identity formation. The aim of this article is to analyze Chin’s selected short stories from a thematic and social perspective. The article also aims to reveal how the author tries to maintain his ethnicity and reflect his identity molded by two different cultures.

Discrimination against Asians and Asian Americans increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, even prior to the pandemic, little research explored the experiences of Asian American families of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. This brief report summarizes the results of a survey conducted between May and July 2020, in the immediate aftermath of state and local lockdowns due to the pandemic. Twenty-five Asian American caregivers of children with autism and other developmental disabilities completed the survey and reported on the pandemic's impact on their household. Most of the caregivers were mothers, immigrants, Chinese, raising children with autism, and highly educated. Participants' primary concerns were the disruption of their children's educational and therapeutic services. We discuss research limitations and implications.

A systematic assessment of the effect of COVID-19 on the food retail environment—an important determinant of health—has not been conducted. Our objective was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on closures of restaurants, food retail stores, and fresh produce vendors in New York City (NYC). We conducted a cross-sectional study following the peak of COVID-19 in six neighborhoods in NYC. Two Chinese ethnic neighborhoods and four higher/lower resourced comparison neighborhoods were selected a priori based on 14 sociodemographic indicators. The primary outcome was indefinite/temporary closures or absence of food businesses. Of 2720 food businesses identified, produce vendors and restaurants were more likely to close than food retail stores. A higher proportion of food businesses closed in Chinese ethnic neighborhoods vs. comparison neighborhoods. COVID-19 impacted food businesses in six NYC neighborhoods examined in this period, with the greatest effect observed for Chinese ethnic neighborhoods. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10903-021-01230-7.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) hospitalizations and deaths have been in the forefront of healthcare and public health for the past two years. Despite widespread vaccinations campaigns, infection rates and serious illness and death remain high among immigrant and minority communities. There are many factors that increase the risk of hospitalization and death, including overall health of the individual as well as environmental and socioeconomic factors. Seven virtual listening sessions with 39 Asian American adults were conducted to assess acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. Lack of access, confusion on eligibility, distrust of mass vaccination sites, and fear of long-term side effects were primary barriers to vaccine acceptance. Perspectives on the vaccines varied by ethnic groups, with Bangladeshi and Yemeni participants more likely to have negative views. Our findings show that while national statistics of the broad category “Asian” indicate higher COVID-19 vaccination rates than other minority groups, there are Asian ethnic groups that may not follow these trends. These groups are important to prioritize as they may be at increased risk for exposure and severe illness. However, these groups can be difficult to access for reasons such as language barriers and cultural norms. Information from these listening sessions was used to create resources and programs to clarify misconceptions and increase access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Despite constituting nearly 7% of the population and being the fastest growing ethnicity in the United States, Asian Americans are often sidelined in national dialogue and scientific research (Budiman & Ruiz, 2022; Yip et al., 2021). Further, with anti-Asian discrimination on a rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to study discrimination, mental health, and racial identity of Asian Americans (Tesler et al., 2022). Although higher ethnic racial identity (ERI) has been extensively associated with better mental health (Rivas-Drake et al., 2014), the relationship between ERI and mental health is less salient among Asian Americans, possibly due to the foreigner objectification effect (Cheryan & Monin, 2005). According to the foreigner objectification effect, Asians are persistently stereotyped to be foreigners, leading to identity denial (Cheryan & Monin, 2005). Higher ERI has also been extensively associated with higher perceived discrimination, possibly due to those high in ERI being more vigilant for discrimination (Gong et al., 2017). However, among Asians the relationship between ERI and discrimination is less salient, also possibly due to the foreigner objectification effect (Cheryan & Monin, 2005). Biracial Asians account for 17% of the Asian population, and this percentage is projected to grow in the coming years (Budiman & Ruiz, 2022). According to marginality theory, biracial adolescents or those with a multiracial background are caught between two worlds, each with different racial traditions and power. This additional complexity causes biracial individuals to experience identity-related distress (Miller-Roenigk et al., 2021). Therefore, it is not clear whether ERI relates to either mental health or racial discrimination in ways comparable ways between monoracial and biracial Asians. The present study examines how associations between ERI, mental health and discrimination differ between monoracial and biracial adolescents in a sample of college students. We will also examine how biracial identity conflict, the degree a biracial person reconciles their different identities, moderates the associations between discrimination, ERI and mental health among biracial Asian college students. References Budiman, A., & Ruiz, N. G. (2022). Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population. Pew Research Center. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/29/key-facts-about-asian-americans/ Cheryan, S., & Monin, B. (2005). Where are you really from?: Asian Americans and identity denial. Journal of personality and social psychology, 89(5), 717. Gong, F., Xu, J., & Takeuchi, D. T. (2017). Racial and ethnic differences in perceptions of everyday discrimination. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 3(4), 506-521. Logan, J. & Zhang, W., 2013. Separate but Equal: Asian Nationalities in the U.S., U.S. 2010. Retrieved from https://policycommons.net/artifacts/1356135/separate-but-equal/1968292/ on 24 May 2022. CID: 20.500.12592/h4kjhb. Miller-Roenigk, B., Peteet, B., McCuistian, C., & Kathleen Burlew, A. (2021). Ethnic identity, perceived discrimination, substance use and misuse among Black-White biracial adults. Substance Use & Misuse, 56(14), 2151-2159. Rivas‐Drake, D., Syed, M., Umaña‐Taylor, A., Markstrom, C., French, S., Schwartz, S. J., ... & Ethnic and Racial Identity in the 21st Century Study Group. (2014). Feeling good, happy, and proud: A meta‐analysis of positive ethnic–racial affect and adjustment. Child development, 85(1), 77-102. Tessler, H., Choi, M., & Kao, G. (2020). The anxiety of being Asian American: Hate crimes and negative biases during the COVID-19 pandemic. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 45(4), 636-646. Yip, T., Cheah, C. S., Kiang, L., & Hall, G. C. N. (2021). Rendered invisible: Are Asian Americans a model or a marginalized minority?. American Psychologist, 76(4), 575.

In the United States, Asian Americans are often stereotyped as Model Minorities (i.e., high-achieving, and well-off racial minorities). However, such positive stereotypes can have negative consequences (i.e., feeling depersonalized, negative emotions, poor mental health, cognitive deficits, and somatic symptoms). In addition, these positive stereotypes could cause people to not think Asian Americans do not experience racial prejudice/discrimination. Therefore, we aim to study how the Model Minority myth exacerbates the invisibility of anti-Asian racism or “raises the threshold” for detecting anti-Asian racism.

In the United States, Asian Americans are often stereotyped as being high-achieving, well-off, and high-status racial minorities, otherwise known as “model” minorities. The Model Minority stereotype has historically been weaponized by White Americans to pit minority racial groups against one another, which has led to interracial tension between the Asian and Black American communities. Specifically, the Model Minority stereotype of Asian Americans was used to justify Black Americans' violence and oppression. This can cause a lack of intergroup solidarity, which creates a barrier toward racial justice, as racially marginalized groups that work together to push back against oppressive systems and ideologies are better positioned to make change. Thus, the current study is important because, to understand how and when societal norms foster positive intra-minority relationships, it is important to examine how current stereotypes may hinder positive social relationships, such as allyship and solidarity, between minority groups.

This is a pre-analysis plan for an experimental study of whether group-based belief systems about the racial order influence Asian American partisanship. Do Asian Americans’ views about their own racial group, relative to other racial groups, influence their partisan views and identities? We introduce and test a psychological explanation for Asian American partisanship through stereotype internalization, focusing on two prominent racial tropes of Asian Americans: the model minority and perpetual foreigner stereotypes.

Understanding how knowledge and attitudes about colorectal cancer (CRC) screening differs among Asian immigrants is important for informing targeted health interventions aimed at preventing and treating CRC in this diverse population. This study examines how Asian subgroup and acculturation are associated with CRC knowledge and attitudes among Chinese and Korean immigrants in the United States (U.S.). Data come from the baseline survey of a randomized controlled trial to increase CRC screening among Chinese and Korean American immigrants living in the Baltimore-Washington DC Metropolitan Area (n = 400). We use linear regression to examine how Asian subgroup, time in the U.S., English-speaking proficiency, and ethnic identity are associated with CRC knowledge and screening attitudes, accounting for demographic variables, socioeconomic status, and health insurance status. Results show that greater socioeconomic status was associated with higher CRC knowledge, and socioeconomic status explained more of the variance in CRC knowledge than acculturation factors. Additionally, attitudes varied by Asian subgroup, with Chinese reporting lower CRC screening salience, worry, response efficacy, and social influence compared to Koreans. Findings suggest that in-language interventions aimed at increasing CRC knowledge and capitalizing on attitudes about screening can help to bridge disparities in CRC screening by socioeconomic status and country of origin. We discuss implications for future interventions to increase CRC screening uptake among Chinese and Korean immigrants in the U.S.

Objective Asian Americans are underutilizing mental health services. The aim of the current systematic review was to identify protective and risk factors of mental health help-seeking patterns among the disaggregated Asian Americans and to classify types of help. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. The Health Belief Model served as the theoretical framework for this review. Thirty-four articles were reviewed, and the studies investigated one of the following Asian ethnic subgroups: Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, Korean, or Vietnamese. Data were extracted based on the study characteristics, sample characteristics, and protective and risk factors to mental health help-seeking patterns. Results Predisposing factors like female gender, higher levels of English proficiency, and history of mental illness increased the likelihood for help-seeking across several ethnic groups. Interestingly, cues to action and structural factors were under-examined. However, cues to action like having a positive social network did increase the likelihood of using formal support services among Chinese and Filipinx participants. Structural factors like lacking ethnic concordant providers and access to healthcare served as barriers for Korean and Vietnamese participants. Discussion The findings showed a need for ethnic tailored approaches when supporting mental health help-seeking patterns. Asian ethnic group’s immigration status, acculturation level, and psychological barriers to help-seeking should continue to be emphasized. Psychoeducational groups can be beneficial to expand the knowledge base surrounding mental illness and to link group members to culturally responsive resources.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is a strong contributor to enhancing a healthy lifestyle and preventing numerous chronic diseases. As ethnic minorities engage in low levels of PA, psychosocial and activity-based interventions for sustaining PA are crucial. Methods: The 6-month intervention incorporated culturally tailored educational workshops and weekly PA classes at a community center. Educational workshops were led by six trained community health workers (CHWs). Participants (n=37) completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires regarding PA related self-efficacy, outcome expectations, social support, enjoyment, self-regulation, goal setting, and overall PA. Results: Following the intervention, study participants exhibited increases in weekly PA levels. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test revealed higher median scores for Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES), Identified Regulation, and Intrinsic Motivation. Positive changes were observed for Physical Outcome Expectations, Social Outcome Expectations, Self-Evaluative Outcome Expectations, Physical Activity Enjoyment, Social Support for Exercise Scale – Family, Social Support for Exercise – Friends, and Exercise Goal-Setting. Conclusion: Community-based PA interventions may provide potential benefits to Filipino Americans, an ethnic Asian minority group, in identifying exercise benefits, developing proper exercise goals, increasing motivation, promoting PA behavior, and facilitating long-term PA adherence.

Increased diversity has accompanied dramatic demographic growth of the Asian American population in recent years. If the common characteristic of Asian Americans is a diversity of origins, languages, resources, and cultural traits, what holds this group together, particularly in the political sphere? The model minority stereotype suggests that Asian Americans might converge around education policies. That most Asian Americans are foreign born and the tenacious power of attendant “forever foreigner” tropes suggest that immigration issues might be the basis for a shared political agenda. Analysis of the 2016 National Asian American Survey, however, shows surprising political consensus within the Asian American population outside the policy realms of education and immigration. In other policy issues, particularly those involving the government’s role, important points of convergence among these groups on certain public policies are clear. Political differences within the Asian American community are between those who are progressive and those who are even more so.

American stereotypes depict the pan-Asian culture as monolithically traditional in matters of gender and sexual politics. Most national surveys include too few Asian respondents to assess the validity of these claims, much less to interrogate differences across Asian-ancestry groups. Using data from the 2016 National Asian American Survey, this study examines racial and ethnic variability in support for policies that would extend rights and protections to women and to sexual and gender minorities. Results provide no evidence of pan-Asian gender traditionalism, and they show much more attitudinal heterogeneity across Asian ethnic groups than is popularly recognized. Some of this heterogeneity is linked to ethnic differences in sociocultural traits, including religion, politics, nativity, education, and gender-identity salience. Substantial variability across Asian American groups remains unexplained, however. Future research should explore how this variability maps onto distinctive gender regimes in ancestral countries and different histories of immigrant reception within the United States.

We argue that two factors are important for cross-racial coalition building: policy convergence in key issue arenas and perceived interest alignment with other racial groups. Drawing on the 2016 National Asian American Survey, we examine two of the most salient issues Asian Americans consistently rate as among the most important: immigration and economic policy. Using principal component analysis, we plot mean scores by group to analyze national-origin clustering along these two dimensions. Next, we analyze national-origin differences in perceived interest alignment with Blacks and Latinos. Combining these two factors, we identify clusters of groups that have a strong potential for cross-racial coalition building and that face greater constraints. In sum, we propose a theoretical framework for understanding cross-racial coalition building that includes disaggregating Asian Americans by national origin, and then identify which national-origin groups have the greater opportunity to form such coalitions.

Sociologists of education have relied on two primary frameworks for understanding educational inequality: status attainment and cultural capital. Both of those have been grounded in examining class inequality, and only more recently have started to pay more attention to racial/ethnic inequalities, and rarely to experiences of Asian Americans. This is a crucial omission. Asians represent one of the fastest-growing racial or ethnic groups in the U.S. Moreover, compared with other racial and ethnic groups, Asian Americans have quite unique experiences, from being treated as “culturally inferior” by mainstream society a century ago to being accoladed as “model minority” with desirable cultural traits. Their unique experiences can shape educational processes in ways that can provide novel insights and advance sociological theories of educational inequality. Analyzing nationally representative data, this dissertation includes three stand-alone empirical chapters, each of which is asking unique questions aimed to push further our understanding of educational inequality. Chapter 2 addresses the role of socioeconomic background in shaping educational outcomes, and in particular, recent findings suggesting that socioeconomic background may play a limited role in fostering educational success for Asian Americans. The findings indicate that peer influence helps to explain a substantial portion of the Asian-white difference in the association between family socioeconomic status and college enrollment. These findings offer novel insights into the role of peers in differentially shaping educational attainment processes across racial/ethnic groups. Chapter 3 engages with the literature on cultural capital, and in particular parenting practices related to concerted cultivation, to examine Asians’ advantage in college access. It finds that parenting practices associated with concerted cultivation do not contribute to explaining Asians’ advantage in college enrollment relative to their white counterparts. The results also reveal important differences across students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. These findings illuminate the limits of concerted cultivation and highlight the importance of expanding research on parenting to consider a range of racial/ethnic groups. Chapter 4 examines how students’ intention to pursue a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) field and the likelihood of graduating with a STEM degree vary at the intersection of race and gender. Results present a complex picture of the intersection of racial and gender inequality. Moreover, different mechanisms explain observed Asian-white differences between males and females. These findings reveal new patterns of inequality and highlight the importance of an intersectional approach for understanding inequalities in STEM education. Taken together, these chapters indicate the importance of incorporating Asian Americans in the mainstream social stratification literature. They not only shed new light on classical educational inequality theories, such as status attainment and cultural capital, but also inspire researchers to explore new mechanisms that are not considered in the traditional sociological theories on educational inequality.

This research analyzes how Asian American characters, Mindy Sheridan, Park Sheridan, and Josh Sheridan, in the novel Eleanor & Park view their identities as Asians. This research aims to understand how Asian American characters view their identities as Asians and what factors influence their views. The analysis of this research was conducted using the social psychology approach supported by Tajfel and Turner’s (2004) social identity theory and Atkinson, Morten, and Sue’s (1998) minority identity development model. This research shows that Asian American characters’ views of their identity as Asian are influenced by the values believed by the dominant group in their social environment.

Background: This study examines how neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) and ethnic composition are associated with breast cancer risk for Asian American women. Methods: We linked individual level data from a population-based case–control study of breast cancer among Asian American women with neighborhood level data in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area (cases: n = 118, controls: n = 390). Multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between nSES, ethnic composition, and odds of having breast cancer. Results: Asian American women living in neighborhoods with high nSES and high ethnic composition had the highest odds of breast cancer, compared to those living in neighborhoods with high nSES and low ethnic composition (OR = 0.34, 95% CI [0.16–0.75]) or in neighborhoods with low nSES and high ethnic composition (OR = 0.37, 95% CI [0.17–0.83]). Discussion: Neighborhood socioeconomic and ethnic contexts are associated with breast cancer for Asian American women. We discuss explanations and avenues for future research.

Purpose: Many East Asian Americans (EAAs) (populations originating from China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) experience unique challenges in managing their disease, including language barriers and traditional cultural beliefs, particularly among first-generation immigrants.. The purpose of this mixed-methods systematic review was to examine cultural perspectives of EAAs that influence dietary self-management of T2DM and identify education interventions and their approaches to enhance EAAs' dietary self-management of diabetes. Methods: A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted to examine EAAs' perspectives from qualitative studies and to identify education interventions and their approaches from quantitative studies. A literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and Web of Science from 1995 to 2018. Sixteen studies (10 qualitative and 6 quantitative) met criteria for analysis. Thematic synthesis of qualitative data was conducted using a line-by-line coding strategy. Extracted quantitative data were assessed for cultural approaches used in the interventions and diabetes-related outcomes. Results: In the qualitative studies, beliefs about food impacted EAAs' abilities to adopt appropriate dietary recommendations for diabetes management. Requiring a specialized diet disrupted social harmony and made EAAs feel burdensome to others. Having bilingual and bicultural resources eased the stress of making dietary modifications. The most commonly incorporated approaches in diabetes education interventions were bilingual education and culturally specific dietary recommendations. Social roles and harmony were not discussed. Significant reductions in hemoglobin A1c and increases in diabetes knowledge were reported post-intervention. Conclusions: Beliefs about food, beliefs about social roles, and access to culturally competent care play an important role in dietary self-management of T2DM among EAAs. Understanding the cultural influences on dietary self-management of T2DM and tailoring interventions to meet the needs of EAAs are essential in effort to address the growing epidemic and improve patient outcomes.

The definition and measurement of filial piety in existing research primarily focuses on the narrow conceptualizations of Asian filial piety, which would inflate cultural differences and undermine cultural universals in how people approach caring for their elderly parents. Employing the Dual Filial Piety Model (DFPM), this study aimed to examine the relationship between filial piety and attitude toward caring for elderly parents beyond the Asian context. In our study (N= 276), we found that reciprocal filial piety (RFP) does not differ across cultures while authoritarian filial piety (AFP) does. We also found that collectivism, rather than ethnicity, predicted RFP and AFP, which in turn predicted positive attitude toward caring for elderly parents. Our work demonstrates the cross-cultural applicability of the DFPM and highlights the universal and culture-specific aspects of filial piety.

Social media has been crucial for seeking and communicating COVID-19 information. However, social media has also promulgated misinformation, which is particularly concerning among Asian Americans who may rely on in-language information and utilize social media platforms to connect to Asia-based networks. There is limited literature examining social media use for COVID-19 information and the subsequent impact of misinformation on health behaviors among Asian Americans. This perspective reviews recent research, news, and gray literature to examine the dissemination of COVID-19 misinformation on social media platforms to Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and South Asian Americans. We discuss the linkage of COVID-19 misinformation to health behaviors, with emphasis on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and vaccine decision-making in Asian American communities. We then discuss community- and research-driven responses to investigate misinformation during the pandemic. Lastly, we propose recommendations to mitigate misinformation and address the COVID-19 infodemic among Asian Americans.

In this work, I, a second generation Vietnamese American, conduct an auto-ethnography of myself, my mother, and my grandfather on their political beliefs to gather qualitative data on shifting Vietnamese American political attitudes between generations. Through a series of interviews, I aim to determine to what extent Vietnamese American ethnic background has on individual political beliefs, if at all. Ultimately, I have found that it is not ethnic and racial identity that uniformly influence political affiliation; rather, it is the range of experiences in immigration and assimilation that affect said beliefs. I divide my findings into three core themes: the refugee experience, the Americanization experience, and the racial consciousness experience.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has seen increased adverse mental health outcomes secondary to the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes growing literature that shows that AAPIs are at higher risk of experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress. Many studies allude to how these disparities in mental health outcomes may be secondary to how the world has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. This thesis will explore this mental health inequity by organizing literature into three major groups using the biopsychosocial model, which is a holistic model classically used in mental health to model how biological, psychological, and social stressors can be the cause of mental illness. This thesis will look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected many people who identify as AAPI and how they have been disproportionately affected compared to their White counterparts.

Civic and political engagement is woven into the fabric of higher education and many higher education institutions have intentionally incorporated this in their mission statements. Civic engagement often refers to passive activities like community service, partnership, and reciprocity with others in society while political engagement refers to activities that influences inherent interaction with the government, most common is voting (Verba et al., 1995). Verba and Nie’s (1972) defined political engagement using four elements: voting, campaign activities like membership or working for political organizations or donating, contacting public officials, and engagement in local communities that tackles local issues. The problem is that no model or robust framework exists that explains the student experiences of civic and political engagement in higher education. Furthermore, there is an absence of greater empirical studies on civic and political engagement regarding ethnic/racial students like Southeast Asian Americans (SEAA).There is little known about the pathways of civic and political engagement among Asian American college students. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) trace their roots from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Despite attempts on the heterogenization of Asian Americans’ civic and political engagement trends in research, there is still limited understanding on civic and political behaviors and attitudes based on ethnicity. Southeast Asian Americans often experience challenges that remain invisible in higher education. A phenomenological approach is utilized to analyze the interviews of seven Southeast Asian American college students. Five themes emerged from the data collected: Civic engagement as more accessible, political engagement driven by key issues, intersectionality of Generation Z and political engagement, limited college influence, and ethnic identity as motivation for engagement. Overall, participants viewed civic activities as more accessible than political engagement. There was a lack of comprehensive knowledge to what political engagement entailed other than voting. The participants were driven by specific issues to political engagement. These activities other than voting used channels like Instagram to engage. They perceived institutional messaging or outreach regarding engagement as absent. The participants had a positive experience in student organizations they were a part of, and these networks increased their civic and political awareness. The study was guided by the Asian Critical Race Theory. The tenets of Asian Critical Race Theory were particularly present when discussing their experiences and motivations for engagement. Issues related to Asian hate crimes that led participants to speak out, attend rallies, promotion of Asian related stories via Instagram, voting out political leaders that they perceived propagated anti-immigrant and Asian discrimination were motivations for participation. These were reminiscent of Asian Critical Race Theory. Through disaggregation of data, the implication of this study hoped to refocus the attention of higher education on Southeast Asian Americans and address their unique needs to promote civic development among students. The implications from the findings included increase opportunity for higher education to refine definitions of engagement, removing barriers to college access for Asian Americans and Southeast Asian Americans, advancing the AAPI agenda in institutions and colleges, and connecting college students to Asian American leaders.

Korean Americans are a major Asian subgroup in the U.S., and epidemiological data demonstrate that rates of mental health symptoms are higher among Korean American emerging adults compared to other Asian American counterparts. Seeking and receiving appropriate support are important ways to cope with mental health burden, but there is a dearth of literature on how Asian Americans seek help from friends and family members. Available studies suggest that various sociocultural factors influence the informal help-seeking process among Asian Americans. As family context has a significant impact on children’s sociocultural development, examining such contextual factors can help understand some of the mechanisms and correlates of informal help-seeking. In this dissertation study, I explored the characteristics and associations among family communication patterns, relevant sociocultural factors (i.e., perceived parental support, emotional self-control, relational concerns, face loss concerns), and informal help-seeking intentions using a sample of 201 Korean American emerging adults (ages 18 – 29) drawn from an online survey. In paper 1, factor analysis showed that different help sources can be grouped into three domains (i.e., formal sources, family members, and partner and friends), with intention to seek help being the highest towards partner and friends, followed by family members and formal sources. Characteristics of higher acculturation were positively associated with help-seeking intention towards partner and friends. In paper 2, mediation analyses revealed that participants with parents fostering unrestrained communications perceived receiving more informational support from parents, which in turn was associated with higher intention to seek parental support. Participants with parents emphasizing conformity in beliefs and values perceived receiving less emotional and implicit support from parents, which in turn was associated with lower intention to seek parental support. The negative association between conformity orientation and perceived emotional support was only significant among participants identifying as American or bi-cultural. In paper 3, bivariate analyses showed that conversation orientation was positively associated with informal help-seeking intention, while conformity orientation, emotional self-control, relational concerns, and face loss concerns were negatively associated. Mediation analyses indicated that participants with parents stressing conformity in beliefs and values were more likely to endorse suppression of emotional expression and be concerned with potential loss of face from help-seeking, which in turn were associated with lower intention to seek help from family and friends. Findings from this dissertation study point to the utility of examining family contextual factors to better understand the informal help-seeking process among Korean American emerging adults. More studies on Asian Americans’ informal help-seeking are needed to find more culturally appropriate ways to address the mental health needs of this population.

This qualitative study investigated Protestant Korean immigrants’ views on cadaveric organ donation through the analysis of in-depth interviews with thirty-two Protestant Korean immigrants in the United States. The interviews show a meaning-making process of cadaveric organ donation among study participants. They describe participants’ complex sentiments on cadaveric organ donation, based on a blend of Protestant, Confucian, Shamanistic, and Daoist views. This study shows how Protestant Korean immigrants can overcome potential fears of organ procurement, stemming from indigenous Korean contexts, and describes their religious views on the afterlife. The findings indicated that most participants held positive views of cadaveric organ donation because they considered organ donation to be an altruistic, life-giving, Christian spiritual practice for the benefit of others. I argue that Protestant Korean immigrants’ lived religion can lead them to overcome fear of indigenous Korean beliefs and to choose organ donation as a spiritual practice.

This article contributes a theory of reciting as Asian American Buddhist practice. I argue that when Asian American Buddhists share their stories and experiences, they perform a critical form of religious reciting. This reciting articulates the reality of Asian American Buddhist existence amidst ongoing legacies of exclusion. It displaces the predominance of narratives about Asian American Buddhists told by others. Moreover, reciting forges networks of knowledge, recognition, and sangha amongst Asian American Buddhists. This article then investigates the recently established web platform, The Young Buddhist Editorial (YBE), as an example of the layered reciting practices amongst young Asian American Buddhists. I examine YBE as a discursive space, both in regard to the platform itself as a publisher of Asian American Buddhist stories, and in regard to its broader impact in reciting these narratives to the public. I further argue that YBE serves as a discursive site of recitation that exemplifies and amplifies Asian American Buddhist existence beyond injury and grievance.

In the age of COVID-19, the Asian American community is facing a number of unique risks and barriers to mental health care. Mounting challenges—including language barriers, unemployment, racialized trauma, and anti-Asian violence—threaten the health and wellness of these communities. Yet, structural obstacles prevent Asian Americans from accessing care within the professionalized behavioral health workforce. Leveraging the resources of Asian American peer networks, collectives, and community-based organizations through a task-sharing program presents an attractive alternative for mental health care provision. Investing in task-sharing approaches to care would both address access barriers and build capacity within the Asian American community.

The number of hospitalizations with an obesity diagnosis have increased among youth in the past two decades, yet remain understudied, particularly among racial/ethnic minority groups. The purpose of this study was to characterize obesity prevalence among children, adolescents, and young adults receiving inpatient care in Hawai‘i acute care hospitals during 2015–2016. This study analyzed statewide administrative data from a racially and ethnically diverse population. Participants (N = 7,751) included Hawai‘i residents aged 5–29 years receiving inpatient care, excluding those hospitalized due to pregnancy. Recorded height and weight were used to calculate body mass index (BMI) and classify obesity. Primary or secondary diagnoses for obesity were assessed. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine characteristics associated with obesity, including race/ethnicity-sex interaction, age group, insurance payer, and county of residence. Based on BMI, 28.4% (2,202/7,751) of patients had obesity. However, an obesity diagnosis was present only in 40.4% (889/2,202) of patients with obesity based on BMI (11.9% of all patients). In the multivariable model, compared to whites, the odds of having obesity were highest among Pacific Islanders [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.07, 95% CI(3.16–5.23)] and Native Hawaiians [aOR = 2.16, 95% CI(1.75–2.67)] for females, and among Pacific Islanders [aOR = 5.39, 95% CI(4.27–6.81)], Native Hawaiians [aOR = 2.36, 95% CI(1.91–2.91)], and Filipinos [aOR = 2.08, 95% CI(1.64–2.64)] for males. Obesity was also associated with age group, but not insurance payer type or county of residence. These findings support the need for greater attention to obesity in the inpatient setting and equity-focused interventions to reduce obesity among younger hospitalized patients.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has underscored the structural inequities facing communities of color and its consequences in lives lost. However, little is known about the COVID-related disparities facing Asian Americans amidst the heightened racism and violence against this community. We analyze the mortality toll of COVID-19 on Asian Americans using multiple measures. In 2020, one in seven Asian American deaths was attributable to COVID-19. We find that while Asian Americans make up a small proportion of COVID-19 deaths in the USA, they experience significantly higher excess all-cause mortality (3.1 times higher), case fatality rate (as high as 53% higher), and percentage of deaths attributed to COVID-19 (2.1 times higher) compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Mounting evidence suggest that disproportionately low testing rates, greater disease severity at care presentation, socioeconomic factors, and racial discrimination contribute to the observed disparities. Improving data reporting and uniformly confronting racism are key components to addressing health inequities facing communities of color.

(1) Background: Despite having consistently lower rates of obesity than other ethnic groups, Asian Americans (AAs) are more likely to be identified as metabolically obese, suggesting an ethnic-specific association between BMI and cardiometabolic outcomes. The goal of this study was to provide an estimate of metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence among AAs using national survey data and to compare this rate to that of non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) over the BMI continuum. (2) Methods: Using the NHANES 2011–2016 data, we computed age-adjusted, gender-specific prevalence of MetS and its individual components for three BMI categories. Furthermore, we conducted multivariate binary logistic regression to examine the risk of MetS in AAs compared to NHWs, controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. The analysis sample consisted of 2121 AAs and 6318 NHWs. (3) Results: Among AAs, the prevalence of MetS and its components increased with higher BMI levels, with overall prevalence being 5.23% for BMI &lt, 23, 38.23% for BMI of 23–27.4, and 77.68% for BMI ≥ 27.5 in men, and 18.61% for BMI &lt, 23, 47.82% for BMI of 23–27.4, and 67.73% for BMI ≥ 27.5 in women. We also found that for those with a BMI &gt, 23, AAs had a higher predicted risk of MetS than their NHW counterparts of the same BMI level, in both men and women. (4) Conclusions: Our findings support the use of lower BMI ranges for defining overweight and obesity in Asian populations, which would allow for earlier and more appropriate screening for MetS and may better facilitate prevention efforts.

Th e impact of the COVID- 19 global pandemic to American communities extends beyond physical health problems to include political, economic, education, business, mental health, and social relation impacts. This essay, based on a summer and fall 2020 place-based research project collaboration between Purdue Honors College students and the Purdue Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center, examines impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to the Asian and Asian American communities. Th e research asks what the impacts of COVID-19 are to Asian/American communities, how COVID-19 anti-Asian racism is unique or not unique, how the Asian American communities have collectively responded to the racism connected to the pandemic, and how Asian American communities displayed solidarity with other communities during this difficult time in public health and racial justice. Th e essay connects extensive media and archival research to detail COVID-19 impacts in the areas of health and wellness, job security, and social/racial justice. The essay then documents the persistent history of stereotyping and racism to Asian/American communities particularly in the midst of larger changes in political, national security, or public health situations. The next part of the essay provides an analysis of the rising number of reporting centers utilizing different platforms to counter the experience of racism. Finally, with the tragic deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd that sparked forms of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, the essay examines specific online and offline eff orts in regard to Asian and Asian American solidarity.

Structural oppression continues to be one of the most pressing problems in U.S. society, and college students have always played a major role in addressing systemic inequities. Yet, much remains to be learned about the experiences of students advocating social justice in higher education, and there is a paucity of research on Asian American students involved in such efforts. This study sought to understand how Asian American undergraduates understand the role of solidarity in social justice work. The authors analyzed interviews with Asian American students engaged in social justice activism and advocacy in the Midwest. Findings show that participants recognized interconnected realities among oppressed communities, centered solidarity in social justice work because of this recognition, and utilized intersectional approaches to integrate solidarity into social justice activism and advocacy. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

As colleges and universities commit to creating and sustaining a more inclusive and equitable community, it is important to understand how the role of identity intersects with the existing processes of socialization and development. An identity-conscious practice is the process of realizing that who we are informs and impacts how we act, interact, and see the world around us. In particular, how identity should be considered as part of bidirectional socialization. Understanding socialization as bidirectional means that organizations can contribute to healthier communities that not only retain scholars but also engage with the identities and experiences of their students. This paper explores the ways in which doctoral students of color, in particular, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, experience the socialization and development processes through the lens of race; identifies the key organizational challenges; and provides recommendations for how colleges and universities can move towards a more inclusive and equitable community. This paper advances a framework for an identity-conscious model of the formation of scholars.

Disordered eating is a public health problem because it’s highly prevalent, dangerous, and costly. More research about its risk factors and mechanisms is needed to address this problem and prevent disordered eating among high-risk populations, particularly understudied ethnic minorities. The present study contributes to the limited existing research on acculturation and disordered eating among Asian American college students who represent an understudied and high-risk group. The sample consisted of 245 Asian American (primarily East and Southeast Asian American) college students who provided data on their acculturation status, internalization of thin and muscular body ideals, body surveillance, body shame, and disordered eating. Results show that after controlling for gender, both cultures are positively associated with internalization of the muscular body ideal, but only the Asian culture of origin is associated with disordered eating. Additionally, path analysis results show that Asian culture of origin has a significant total effect on disordered eating as well as a significant indirect effect on disordered eating, mediated by thin body ideal internalization. While American culture does not have a significant contribution to body ideal internalization or disordered eating, it interacts with Asian culture of origin and put participants with high levels of both cultures at a greater risk for muscular body ideal internalization. Findings highlight the importance of cultural context in the understanding of body experiences and disordered eating among Asian American college students and have implications for the prevention and intervention of these problems in this high-risk population.