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Park S, Joo H, Rodriguez B. COVID-19-related discrimination, campus safety, loneliness, and psychological distress among Asian and Asian American college students: a moderated mediation model. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2024:1-11. [PMID: 39357065 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2024.2409700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/22/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
Objective: This study explored the relations between campus safety and loneliness among Asian and Asian American college students. We investigated the mediation effect of psychological distress and the moderation effect of COVID-19-related discrimination in these relations. Participants: 1,685 Asian and Asian American college students who participated in the Fall 2020, American College Health Association - National College Health Assessment III survey. Method: The moderated mediation analysis was conducted. Results: The findings revealed a negative correlation between campus safety and both psychological distress (b = -0.05, p < 0.001) and loneliness (b = -0.12, p < 0.001), but this weakened for those experiencing COVID-19 discrimination. Psychological distress consistently mediated the safety-loneliness link regardless of discrimination. Conclusions: The current findings highlight the support from the university for Asian and Asian American college students. The specific implications for practice and policy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangmin Park
- Graduate and Professional Studies in Education, California State University, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - HyunGyung Joo
- Graduate and Professional Studies in Education, California State University, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Bianca Rodriguez
- Graduate and Professional Studies in Education, California State University, Sacramento, California, USA
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2
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Rai A, Held ML, Osborne E, Kapur I. Stress Among Immigrants in the United States. JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL WORK (2019) 2024; 21:509-528. [PMID: 38400548 DOI: 10.1080/26408066.2024.2320345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immigrants comprise a sizable proportion (15%) of the population living in the United States (U.S.). Given these proportions, it is imperative that we understand immigrant experiences of well-being and stress toward improved well-being and integration. METHODS To examine the experiences of first- and second-generation immigrants using a comparative approach, we utilized data from two surveys collected under Trump (n = 490) and Biden (n = 306) administrations. Both studies employed non-probability quota and convenience sampling techniques. Questions about experiences of stress (PSS-4), discrimination (Everyday Discrimination Scale), resilience (Brief Resilience Scale), border stress (Border Community and Immigration Stress Scale), immigration policies (general questions) were included in the surveys. Each study sample included diverse racial groups across both immigrant generations. We report frequencies, descriptive statistics, and ANOVAs/post hoc test results. RESULTS Findings highlight that levels of both stress and discrimination among non-White participants under the Trump administration were significantly higher than those of White participants, though neither relationship was significant under the Biden administration. Further, White participants exhibited higher resilience under the Trump administration, but not under the Biden administration. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first study to comparatively examine immigrant experiences under the two most recent federal administrations. This study is seminal in highlighting discussions and making policy recommendations to limit immigrant exclusion, curtail exclusionary policies regarding travel bans, and improve pathways to citizenship, enhancing immigrant integration in the U.S. Roles of social workers in supporting immigrant communities and pathways for future research with immigrants are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abha Rai
- School of Social Work, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mary Lehman Held
- College of Social Work, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Emmalee Osborne
- School of Social Work, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ishita Kapur
- College of Social Work, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
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3
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Ham J. Hypersexualisation and racialised erotic capital in sex work. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38786979 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2024.2351996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Eight people, including six women of East Asian descent, at three massage spas were killed on 16 March 2021 in Atlanta, USA by a 21-year-old White man who sought to eliminate 'temptation' for a sex addiction he claimed to experience. This mass killing compelled public discussion about the hypersexualisation of Asian women in White, Western contexts and the risks faced by Asian women in 'intimate labour'. This occurred alongside a dialogical shift towards sex worker rights in public and media discourses, yet these public dialogues appeared to occur alongside each other, rather than in interaction with each other. In between these dialogues remained questions about the legacies of hypersexualisation and what this means for Asian women in sex work, an industry that resists convenient understandings of desire and power and where hypersexuality may be simultaneously contested and deployed. This article bridges these dialogues to explore how a sex worker rights framework can engage with questions of race, hypersexualisation and erotic capital for Asian women in sex work. This is followed by an analysis of responses to hypersexualisation within Asian diasporic communities, and the implications for a more inclusive sex worker rights movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Ham
- Department of Sociology, Brock University, St Catharines, ON, Canada
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4
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Lu Y. Disease, Scapegoating, and Social Contexts: Examining Social Contexts of the Support for Racist Naming of COVID-19 on Twitter. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 65:75-93. [PMID: 37688490 DOI: 10.1177/00221465231194355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
In early 2020, when COVID-19 began to spread in the United States, many Twitter users called it the "Chinese virus," blaming racial outgroups for the pandemic. I collected tweets containing the "Chinese virus" derivatives posted from March to August 2020 by users within the United States and created a data set with 141,290 tweets published by 50,695 users. I calculated the ratio of users who supported the racist naming of COVID-19 per county and merged Twitter data with the county-level census. Multilevel regression models show that counties with higher COVID-19 mortality or infection rates have more support for the racist naming. Second, the mortality and infection rates effects are stronger in counties with faster minority growth. Moreover, it is mainly in poor counties that minority growth enlarges the effects of infection and mortality rates. These findings relate to the theories on disease-induced xenophobia and the debate between conflict and contact theories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Lu
- South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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5
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Thai JN, Le Craig W, Fisher J, Chambers M. Stakeholder engagement to develop a directory of COVID-19 related mental health services in Vietnam: reflections on a participatory approach. Wellcome Open Res 2024; 9:87. [PMID: 39092000 PMCID: PMC11292178 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.20491.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise of mental health issues amongst Vietnamese communities in Vietnam and the diaspora. However, there were few resources and no directory of services available for people seeking mental health support in Vietnam. In response to this need, we initiated an engagement project to improve Vietnamese communities' access to mental health support. This project aimed to involve stakeholders in the development of a directory of resources in order to ensure that it met local needs. The phases of development included: (1) reviewing desk research findings; (2) reviewing the list of mental health support services that we could find; (3) verifying the first draft of the directory; (4) helping disseminate the directory; and (5) updating the directory. In February 2022 the first edition of the mental health directory for Vietnamese and foreigners living in Vietnam was published. In this paper we describe the iterative approach taken to developing a resource that would have maximum utility for the target communities. We describe the process of partnering with people with lived experience, community members and expert stakeholders in this process, and reflect on how this strengthened the outcomes in terms of the relevance of the output, the research uptake and the access for the wider community. We believe that it is important to publish examples of community engagement projects in order to demonstrate good practise and promote increased involvement of communities in research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Ngoc Thai
- College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Jaom Fisher
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Mary Chambers
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Nuffield Department of Medicine: Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, UK
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6
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Zong X, Cheah CSL, Ren H. Age-Varying Associations Between COVID-19-Related Racial Discrimination and Chinese American Adolescents' Political Civic Engagement. J Youth Adolesc 2024; 53:446-458. [PMID: 37816911 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01879-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has made historically rooted anti-Asian racism, xenophobia, and civic activism in the United States highly salient, creating a heightened need for Asian American youth to redress racial injustice through civic engagement. However, little is known about Chinese American adolescents' civic engagement in response to racial discrimination. The present study investigated the age-varying associations between Chinese American adolescents' experiences of COVID-19-related racial discrimination and their political civic engagement at the intersection of race and gender, as well as the moderating roles of ethnic identity affirmation and parental civic socialization in these associations. The participants were 295 10- to 18-year-old Chinese American adolescents (Mage = 14.1 years, SD = 2.2 years; 52% girls) and their parents (Mage = 44.2 years, SD = 6.0 years; 79% mothers). Time-varying effect modeling showed that experiences of racial discrimination were negatively associated with political civic engagement in middle adolescence. This negative association was found only among girls but not boys. High ethnic identity affirmation and parental civic socialization not only buffered Chinese American adolescents against the impact of racial discrimination but even promoted their greater political civic engagement across adolescence. These findings revealed the age trends and important individual and contextual facilitators of Chinese American adolescents' political civic participation in the context of the racialized pandemic of COVID-19, which can inform culturally and developmentally targeted education and intervention efforts that promote the civic development of Chinese American adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Zong
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Charissa S L Cheah
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Huiguang Ren
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
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7
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Gram L, Mau A. 'We are not the virus'-Experiences of racism among East & Southeast Asian heritage young people in London during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002016. [PMID: 38266024 PMCID: PMC10807763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
The spread of COVID-19 was accompanied by news reports of surging racism, xenophobia, and hate crime all over the Global North targeting individuals of East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) descent. However, little empirical research has documented the impacts of COVID-19 on child and adolescent ESEAs. We describe and analyse the mental health experiences of young ESEA Londoners during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We purposively recruited 23 young people (aged 9-20) of ESEA heritage through social media and existing ESEA networks and analysed transcripts using thematic analysis. Participants experienced distress from being exposed to multiple forms of racism ranging from strangers on the street avoiding or harassing them to classmates at school or university making racist 'jokes', comments or 'banter'. Participants worried about hate crimes reported in news media and experienced anxiety from seeing pervasive racist content in online social media. Some participants responded by physically isolating themselves at home for long periods, whilst others chose to participate in activism, providing a sense of agency. Action by parents and school authorities was reported to help prevent further bullying, but respondents did not always feel able to approach these for help. Our findings put into focus the strain on young ESEA Londoners' mental health caused by COVID-related racism and jar against simplified depictions of metropolitan places, such as London, as centres of cosmopolitanism and tolerance. To promote the emotional wellbeing of young ESEAs, future policy should facilitate action by schools and universities against anti-ESEA racism and support ESEA community-building efforts to enhance resilience in the face of racism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Gram
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ada Mau
- Outreach and Widening Participation, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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8
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Hwang J, Ding Y, Wang C, Chen E, Wu Y, Hu X. Asian American University Students' Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:34. [PMID: 38247686 PMCID: PMC10813077 DOI: 10.3390/bs14010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In addition to the unprecedented challenges and stressors that university students faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian American students experienced specific hardships due to COVID-19-associated xenophobic attitudes, harassment, and assault against people of Asian complexions. This qualitative study aimed to explore the ways in which Asian American university students' experiences during the pandemic changed their views of their identities as Asian Americans by analyzing in-depth interviews of four case study participants. Secondary analysis of two waves of interviews, which were conducted during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and during a six-month follow-up, and primary analysis of a newly conducted third wave one year after the initial outbreak yielded 12 themes that captured the essence of the Asian American university students' experience and redefining of their identity during the pandemic. The four participants identified these themes across four categories: Experiences and Events during the Pandemic; Categorization of Asians in America; Confronting Asian Discrimination; and Renewed Sense of Identity. The longitudinal findings revealed direct experiences and perspectives regarding the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on Asian communities, as well as the impact of the various social and political events during this time period, such as the Black Lives Matter Movement (2020) and the 2020 US presidential election. The implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Hwang
- Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA; (J.H.); (E.C.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Yi Ding
- Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA; (J.H.); (E.C.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Cixin Wang
- College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA;
| | - Eric Chen
- Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA; (J.H.); (E.C.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Ying Wu
- Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA; (J.H.); (E.C.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Xiaoyan Hu
- Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA; (J.H.); (E.C.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
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9
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Bacong AM, Haro-Ramos AY. Willingness to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine in California: Disparities by Race and Citizenship Status. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:2911-2920. [PMID: 36449129 PMCID: PMC9713137 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01468-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Although it is widely acknowledged that racialized minorities may report lower COVID-19 vaccine willingness compared to non-Hispanic white individuals, what is less known, however, is whether the willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine also differs by citizenship. Understanding disparities in vaccine willingness by citizenship is particularly important given the misleading rhetoric of some political leaders regarding vaccine eligibility by citizenship status. This study used the 2020 California Health Interview Survey (n = 21,949) to examine disparities in vaccine willingness by race/ethnicity and citizenship among Asian, Latinx, and non-Hispanic white individuals. Overall, 77.7% of Californians indicated that they were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it was made available. However, there were distinct differences by race/ethnicity and citizenship. Asian people, regardless of citizenship, had the highest predicted probability of vaccine willingness, accounting for demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors. Non-citizen Latinx and non-citizen non-Hispanic white people had higher predicted probabilities of vaccine willingness compared to their US-born counterparts, accounting for demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors. Our results reveal that although vaccine willingness may be high among non-citizen individuals, it may not necessarily translate into actual vaccine uptake. Furthermore, while individual-level factors may account for some of the differences in vaccine willingness by race/ethnicity and citizenship, other institutional and structural barriers prevent vaccine uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Matias Bacong
- Stanford University Center for Asian Health Research and Education, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Alein Y Haro-Ramos
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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10
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Lê AB, Huỳnh TB. The need for a multi-level approach to occupational safety and health among Asian and Asian American beauty service workers. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2023; 20:495-505. [PMID: 37540163 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2023.2245447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Asian and Asian Americans (A/AA) are a group overlooked in general health outcomes but especially occupational safety and health outcomes. In the United States, the beauty service microbusiness industry (e.g., nail salons) predominantly employs immigrant Asian women who regularly encounter a plethora of occupational hazards (e.g., harmful chemical exposures -toluene, formaldehyde, bloodborne pathogens, fungi. However, due to the precariousness of beauty service jobs, cultural and linguistic barriers, and social determinants of health, A/AA beauty service workers face complex occupational safety and health challenges that require interdisciplinary collaboration and cultural competency to address. This commentary will discuss a multi-level approach including specific outreach partners that will offer the required diverse skillsets necessary for improving the occupational safety and health for this worker population in this microbusiness industry. Implications and suggestions for interventions and policy changes are also recommended utilizing the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities' Research Framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora B Lê
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Trân B Huỳnh
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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11
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Grey C, Tian IL, Skakoon-Sparling S, Daroya E, Klassen B, Lessard D, Gaspar M, Sinno J, Sang JM, Perez-Brumer A, Lachowsky NJ, Moore DM, Jollimore J, Hart TA, Cox J, Grace D. Unpacking racism during COVID-19: narratives from racialized Canadian gay, bisexual, and queer men. Int J Equity Health 2023; 22:152. [PMID: 37553689 PMCID: PMC10410892 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-023-01961-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Epidemics impact individuals unevenly across race, gender, and sexuality. In addition to being more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, evidence suggests racialized gender and sexual minorities experienced disproportionate levels of discrimination and stigma during the COVID-19 epidemic. Drawing on Critical Race Theory (CRT), we examined the experiences of gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (GBQM) of colour facing discrimination during COVID-19. DESIGN Engage-COVID-19 is a mixed methods study examining the impact of COVID-19 on GBQM living in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montréal, Canada. We conducted two rounds of qualitative interviews (November 2020 to February 2021, and June to October 2021) with 93 GBQM to explore the evolving impact of COVID-19 on their lives. Transcripts were coded using inductive thematic analysis. Data analysis was conducted using Nvivo software. RESULTS Fifty-nine participants identified as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Colour (BIPOC). These GBQM of colour described multiple experiences of discrimination during COVID-19. Although participants did not report experiences of discrimination based on their sexual identity during COVID-19, we found that experiences of racism affected how they were treated within their sexual networks. Experiences of racism were most often reported by East Asian and Black GBQM. These participants faced racism in public and online spaces, primarily in the form of verbal harassment. Several participants were also harassed because they wore face masks. Verbal abuse against GBQM of colour was largely prompted by racist discourses related to COVID-19. CONCLUSION Racism remains a pernicious threat to the well-being of GBQM of colour. CRT highlights the importance of assessing how sexualized and gendered discourses about race shape the experiences of GBQM of colour navigating multiple epidemics like COVID-19 and HIV. These pervasive discourses unevenly affect racial and sexual minorities across multiple epidemics, and negatively impact health outcomes for these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornel Grey
- Western University, London, Canada
- University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Ben Klassen
- Community-Based Research Centre, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | | | - Jad Sinno
- University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | | | | | - David M Moore
- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jody Jollimore
- Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE), Toronto, Canada
| | - Trevor A Hart
- University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Joseph Cox
- McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada
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12
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Bhugra D, Smith A, Liebrenz M, Ventriglio A, Gnanapragasam SN, Buadze A, Pemberton M, Poulter D. "Otherness", otherism, discrimination, and health inequalities: entrenched challenges for modern psychiatric disciplines. Int Rev Psychiatry 2023; 35:234-241. [PMID: 37267034 DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2023.2192275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Identity is a complex concept that can be informed by various factors, involving biological, psychological, experiential, and social influences. Specifically, one's social identity refers to the ways in which individuals can adopt attributes from established collective categories, like cultural identities, ethnic identities, gender identities, and class identities, amongst others. Social identity can encompass unique and diverse interactions at an individual level, known as micro-identities, that may be selectively expressed, hidden, or downplayed, contingent on distinct sociocultural settings. However, the formation of social identity is recurrently defined in opposition to perceptions of the Other, which can entail adverse paradigms of marginalisation, stigma, and discrimination. Although this theory of Otherness has been developed across different fields, particularly sociology, it may be important in psychiatric contexts as it can engender inherent risk factors and mental health inequalities. Consequently, this paper seeks to bring attention towards these issues, exploring the construction of Otherness and its detrimental outcomes for psychiatry, such as systemic discrimination and disparities in therapeutic support, alongside recommended initiatives to mitigate against the effects of Otherness. This may require multifactorial approaches that include cultural competency training, interventions informed by micro-identities and intersectionality, patient advocacy, and structural changes to mental health policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Bhugra
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, Kings College, London, UK
| | - Alexander Smith
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michael Liebrenz
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Ana Buadze
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, Specialized Outpatient Clinic for ADHD, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Max Pemberton
- Specialist Registrar, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London
| | - Daniel Poulter
- South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK
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13
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Huang JT, Krupenkin M, Rothschild D, Lee Cunningham J. The cost of anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nat Hum Behav 2023; 7:682-695. [PMID: 36658211 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01493-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Anti-Chinese sentiment increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting as a considerable spike in overt violence and hatred directed at Asian American individuals. However, it is less clear how subtle patterns of consumer discrimination, which are difficult to directly observe yet greatly impact Asian American livelihoods, changed through the pandemic. Here we examine this in the context of restaurants-ubiquitous small businesses that sell goods that are closely entwined with ethnicity. Using a series of surveys, online search trends and consumer traffic data, we find that Asian restaurants experienced an 18.4% decrease in traffic (estimated US$7.42 billion lost revenue in 2020) relative to comparable non-Asian restaurants, with greater decreases in areas with higher levels of support for Donald Trump. Our findings are consistent with the roles of collective blame, out-group homogeneity and ethnic misidentification in explaining how anti-China rhetoric can harm the Asian American community, underlining the importance of avoiding racism and stigmatization in political and public health communications.
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14
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LEBRÓN ALANAM, TORRES IVYR, KLINE NOLAN, LOPEZ WILLIAMD, DE TRINIDAD YOUNG MARIA, NOVAK NICOLE. Immigration and Immigrant Policies, Health, and Health Equity in the United States. Milbank Q 2023; 101:119-152. [PMID: 37096601 PMCID: PMC10126972 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Policy Points There is growing attention to the role of immigration and immigrant policies in shaping the health and well-being of immigrants of color. The early 21st century in the United States has seen several important achievements in inclusionary policies, practices, and ideologies toward immigrants, largely at subnational levels (e.g., states, counties, cities/towns). National policies or practices that are inclusionary toward immigrants are often at the discretion of the political parties in power. Early in the 21st century, the United States has implemented several exclusionary immigration and immigrant policies, contributing to record deportations and detentions and worsening inequities in the social drivers of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- ALANA M.W. LEBRÓN
- Program in Public HealthUniversity of California, Irvine
- University of California, Irvine
| | - IVY R. TORRES
- Program in Public HealthUniversity of California, Irvine
| | - NOLAN KLINE
- University of North Texas, Health Science Center at Fort Worth
| | - WILLIAM D. LOPEZ
- University of Michigan School of Public Health and Poverty Solutions
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15
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Jin J, Zhou V, Taone T, Ichimura E. #NotTheSame: Asian American subgroups moderate the relation between campus racial climate and perceived burdensomeness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Public Health 2023; 11:982535. [PMID: 37020824 PMCID: PMC10067657 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.982535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study examined the effect of campus racial climate on perceived burdensomeness, a suicide risk factor, among Asian American college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, when anti-Asian racism was present. To disaggregate these data, there was a test of whether Asian American ethnicity subgroup identification as Southeast and South or East Asian changed the association between campus racial climate on perceived burdensomeness. The current sample included 148 college students, 73 Southeast or South Asian Americans, and 75 East Asian American. The study participants were enrolled at a small liberal arts institution located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Researchers collected data across 3 days (9–12 April 2020) via an online questionnaire. Both groups reported similar levels of campus racial climate and perceived burdensomeness. Bivariate correlations indicated that campus racial climate was positively correlated with perceived burdensomeness for Southeast and South Asians only. Moderation analyses revealed that a negative campus racial climate was related to greater perceived burdensomeness among Southeast and South Asian, but not East Asian, American students. This finding supports the need for disaggregation of Asian subgroups in mental health research to understand the diverse experiences within the Asian American community. Furthermore, there is a need for higher education institutions to consider tailoring interventions and tools that fit into the unique cultural and sociohistorical experiences of ethnic and racial subgroups among Asian American students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Jin
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Vanessa Zhou
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Trevor Taone
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Emi Ichimura
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA, United States
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16
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Yi J, La R, Lee BA, Saw A. Internalization of the model minority myth and sociodemographic factors shaping Asians/Asian Americans' experiences of discrimination during COVID-19. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 71:123-135. [PMID: 36440675 PMCID: PMC9877560 DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite appearing positive, the model minority myth (MMM), or the perception that Asian Americans are "problem-free" minorities, maintains unfair racial hierarchies and discredits the pervasiveness of systemic racism faced by Asian Americans and other Black, Indigenous, and people of Color. This study investigated the role of internalized MMM in Asian/Asian Americans' (A/AA) experiences during the syndemic of COVID-19 and our society's racial reckoning. Using a mixed methods approach, we analyzed A/AA college students' open-ended responses to a query about their experiences as A/AA during COVID-19, which resulted in qualitative themes of Personal and Vicarious Discrimination, Vigilance, Safety due to Ethnicity, Safety due to Environment, and No Difference during COVID-19. We then conducted a series of logistic and linear regression models to examine how internalized MMM and sociodemographic factors (i.e., ethnic group, gender, and generational status) were associated with qualitative themes and quantitative measures of COVID-related discrimination. Overall, findings demonstrated that greater internalized MMM, as well as identifying as South Asian, male, and an international/first-generation immigrant student, were linked to fewer qualitative and quantitative reports of vicarious discrimination. We conclude with implications for research and practice in community psychology that further examine the racialized experiences among A/AA college students and ultimately seek to challenge the MMM and racial hierarchies perpetuating systems of oppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Yi
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignChampaignIllinoisUSA
| | - Raymond La
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignChampaignIllinoisUSA
| | - B. Andi Lee
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignChampaignIllinoisUSA
| | - Anne Saw
- Department of PsychologyDePaul UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
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17
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Hilts D, Liu Y. School counselors’ perceived school climate, leadership practice, psychological empowerment, and multicultural competence before and during COVID‐19. JOURNAL OF COUNSELING AND DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jcad.12464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Derron Hilts
- Department of Counseling & Applied Psychology Niagara University Lewiston New York USA
| | - Yanhong Liu
- Department of Counseling & Human Services Syracuse University Syracuse New York USA
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18
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Claypool HM, Trujillo A. Are Rejection Fears during Interracial Interactions Moderated by the Racial Composition of the Interacting Partner’s Social Network? A Pre-Registered Replication and Extension Experiment. BASIC AND APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/01973533.2023.2173600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
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19
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Choi JHS, O'Donnell CD, Phan VN, Coe CL, Miyamoto Y. Role of the valuation of nervousness in cortisol responses to psychosocial stress task and task performance in European American and East Asian students. Biol Psychol 2023; 177:108495. [PMID: 36634810 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
How people perceive and value negative affective states is associated with physiological responses to stressful events and moderates the association between negative feelings and physiological and behavioral outcomes. However, previous studies on valuation of negative affective states have been conducted mostly in Western cultures. Different cultural backgrounds shape how people view negative emotions as well as how people attend to internal emotional states, which may change the effects of valuing negative emotions. The present study thus examined whether valuation of nervousness was associated with the magnitude and duration of cortisol responses to a standardized laboratory stressor and task performance in East Asian and European American students. Two hundred undergraduate students were recruited through a large pool of students taking psychology courses. They engaged in demanding speech and arithmetic tasks as part of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). European American participants who had a higher valuation of nervousness showed lower cortisol reactivity. Valuing nervousness was associated with better speech performance in students from both cultural backgrounds, and the strength of this association was moderated by cortisol level. Our findings call attention to the importance of considering whether negative emotions are viewed as beneficial or an impediment, as well as the cultural context when responding to demanding and threatening situations.
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20
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Lawston A, Lowsky L, Ross M, Hackman C. Navigating social and academic isolation: a qualitative exploration of American university students' perspectives and experiences early in the COVID-19 pandemic. J Child Adolesc Ment Health 2023; 35:76-99. [PMID: 38708740 DOI: 10.2989/17280583.2024.2313469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Objective: To qualitatively explore the multifaceted impacts of the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of American university students.Method: Undergraduate students in general education courses at a mid-sized public Western U.S. university were recruited to complete a Qualtrics survey that evaluated their perceptions, beliefs, and behaviours towards COVID-19. Thematic analysis identified prevailing themes regarding the positive and negative changes to students' lives during the pandemic.Results: Participants included undergraduate students (N = 241) between the ages of 18 and 24 (74.7% women), with 49.4% identifying as White. Thematic analysis of the survey identified several codes encompassed by six key themes: (1) shifting social interactions; (2) wellness; (3) school; (4) financial changes; (5) loss of experiences; and (6) political turmoil.Conclusion: Some students identified positive consequences (e.g., more family time, more flexible schedule), while almost all students reported negative consequences (e.g., difficulty with time management and organisation, loss of job or income) of the COVID-19 pandemic. University communities should consider providing additional academic, financial, and mental health resources to students to further mitigate the lasting consequences of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlynn Lawston
- Kinesiology & Public Health, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - Luna Lowsky
- Kinesiology & Public Health, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - McKenna Ross
- Kinesiology & Public Health, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - Christine Hackman
- Kinesiology & Public Health, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
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21
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Moffitt U, Rogers LO, Mzizi Y, Charlson E. Race Talk During the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election: Emerging Adults’ Critical Consciousness and Racial Identity in Context. JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/07435584221145009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we drew on the m(ai)cro framework, which centers racism as a macrosystem, to examine how college-going emerging adults made meaning about society and themselves during the 2020 U.S. presidential election and 2021 inauguration. This period was marked by racial justice protests, a global pandemic, anti-Asian violence, and the storming of the U.S. Capitol by predominantly white Trump supporters. Using the constructs of critical consciousness and racial identity meaning making, we analyzed participants’ reports of recent race related conversations. Our sample included 47 students ( Mage = 19.71, SD = 1.72; 81% female, 17% male, 2% other; 45% Asian/Asian American, 30% white, 13% Latinx/Hispanic, 4% Black/African American, 4% Multiracial, 2% Middle Eastern/Arab) at a private, predominantly white university in the U.S. Midwest. Hybrid inductive-deductive analysis showed that a majority reported conversations with peers, focused primarily on racial inequity and justice. For many participants of color, conversations about topics including protests and anti-Asian violence were woven into their racial identities. In contrast, although many white participants discussed events such as the Capitol insurrection, none made links to their racial identities. Our findings highlight connections between critical consciousness and racial identity, and the importance of context and participant positionality in developmental research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yola Mzizi
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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22
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Chae A. #StopAsianHate: A Content Analysis of Public Library Statements Released in Response to Anti-Asian Hate. PUBLIC LIBRARY QUARTERLY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/01616846.2022.2153521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Chae
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, San José State University, One Washington Square, 95192-0028, San José, California, United States
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23
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Ristić D, Marinković D. Biopolitics of othering during the COVID-19 pandemic. HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 9:409. [PMID: 36406151 PMCID: PMC9662131 DOI: 10.1057/s41599-022-01435-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic as a global threat caused the introduction of different biopolitical measures accompanied by discourses on otherness, including xenophobic, racist, nationalist, or new orientalist discourses. The aim of this research is to map discourses on otherness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our general hypothesis is that, despite the differences in social and cultural contexts, discourses on otherness generated during the pandemic legitimized biopolitical actions and/or measures in addition to exacerbating social, political and cultural differences. The research is based on a semi-systematic approach to literature review using Situational Analysis and Sociology of Knowledge Approach to Discourse. In conclusion, we discuss the impact of discourse studies in the context of the global emergency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dušan Ristić
- Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
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24
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Wlodarczyk A, Méndez L, Cusi O, Telletxea S, Mendia J, Briceño M, Delgado D, Balbontín F, Lecaros A, Páez D. Superordinate identities and self-transcendent emotions: Longitudinal study in Spain and Chile. Front Psychol 2022; 13:989850. [PMID: 36438344 PMCID: PMC9692013 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.989850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that identification with all humanity (IWAH), apart from being related to universalistic values, could also be related to self-transcendent emotions (STE). In this scenario, the general objective of this cross-cultural longitudinal study is to examine the relationship between identification with proximate categories (i.e., community and country) and superordinate one (all humanity), and their association with positive self-oriented and STEs during a traumatic global phenomenon such as COVID-19 pandemics. Additionally, we explore variations regarding the patterns of those associations in different cultural contexts (Chile and Spain) and examine whether they change among two different time points (T1-T2). The total sample was composed of 403 participants, of whom 224 were residents in Chile (M = 39.25, SD = 12.56; range 18-71 years; 49.6% women) and 179 were residents in Spain (M = 36.35, SD = 12.12; range 18-68 years; 59.8% women). Data collection was carried out in September (T1) and November (T2) 2020, through online surveys administered via Survey Monkey® platform. Overall, results show, as expected, greater identification with proximate categories rather than superordinate ones, and an association between STEs and IWAH, but also with national and community identification. IWAH, but not STEs decreased significantly (T1-T2) in both countries. Thereafter, these emotional and behavioral responses decline as a symptom of growing fatigue with the pandemic situation, and also reflect a shift from broader to more local concerns. Analysis regarding comparisons between countries indicated higher levels of identification with community and with all humanity in Spain and with country in Chile. The results are discussed in the context of new developments in studies on IWAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wlodarczyk
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Lander Méndez
- Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Olaia Cusi
- Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Saioa Telletxea
- Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Jara Mendia
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and Their Development, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Mauricio Briceño
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Daniela Delgado
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | | | - Alexandra Lecaros
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Darío Páez
- Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, San Sebastián, Spain
- PhD Programme in Education and Society, Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago de Chile, Chile
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25
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Psychological toll of being awakened: Asian-origin youth's critical reflection and mental health. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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26
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Suh HN, Goergen J, Nelson B, Clinton L, Osborne A. The Role of Model Minority Stereotype on General Self-Efficacy and Depressive Symptoms. COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/00110000221130016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The model minority stereotype (MMS) is a belief that Asian Americans’ comparative success comes from their hard-work and perseverance, coupled with a lack of barriers such as racism or discrimination against Asian Americans. In this study, we hypothesized that because the MMS demands cognitive energy, the use of self-efficacy as a regulator for depressive symptoms is then limited. Participants included 199 self-identified Asian American college students. A moderation effect of the MMS on the relationship between general self-efficacy and depressive symptoms was tested. Participants with low to above average Unrestricted Mobility (UM), a component of the MMS, displayed a regulating effect of self-efficacy on depressive symptoms, which was not found for individuals with higher UM. Although the variance of moderation effect was small (2%), this study is the first to suggest the effect of self-efficacy in lowering depressive symptoms may depend on the level of UM. Other findings and implications are further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Na Suh
- Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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27
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Layug A, Krishnamurthy S, McKenzie R, Feng B. The Impacts of Social Media Use and Online Racial Discrimination on Asian American Mental Health: Cross-sectional Survey in the United States During COVID-19. JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e38589. [PMID: 36121698 PMCID: PMC9488547 DOI: 10.2196/38589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased social media usage has led to worsened mental health outcomes for many people. Moreover, due to the sociopolitical climate during the pandemic, the prevalence of online racial discrimination has contributed to worsening psychological well-being. With increases in anti-Asian hate, Asian and Asian American social media users may experience the negative effects of online racial discrimination in addition to the reduced psychological well-being resulting from exposure to online COVID-19 content.
Objective
This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19–related social media use and exposure to online racial discrimination during the pandemic on the mental health outcomes (ie, anxiety, depression, and secondary traumatic stress [STS]) of Asian Americans compared with those of non-Asian Americans. In addition, this study explores the mediating role of negative affect and the moderating role of racial/ethnic identification.
Methods
An online survey was conducted through Amazon Mechanical Turk and a university-wide research portal from March 3 to March 15, 2021. A total of 1147 participants took the survey. Participants’ social media usage related to COVID-19 and exposure to 2 online forms of racial discrimination (individual and vicarious), mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and STS), racial/ethnic identification, negative affect, and demographics were assessed.
Results
Our results showed that COVID-19–related social media use, individual discrimination, and vicarious discrimination were predictors of negative mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and STS). Asian Americans reported higher vicarious discrimination than Latinx and White Americans, but Asian Americans’ mental health outcomes did not differ substantially from those of the other racial/ethnic groups. Racial/ethnic identification moderated the relationship between both types of discrimination and STS, and negative affect served as a mediator between both types of discrimination and all 3 mental health outcomes.
Conclusions
These results suggest that social media exposure continues to have a dire effect on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study helps to contextualize the rise of anti-Asian American hate and its impact on mental health outcomes in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyan Layug
- Department of Asian American Studies, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Rachel McKenzie
- Department of Communication, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Bo Feng
- Department of Communication, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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28
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Lee H, Lei Q, Su G, Zhang S. Acknowledging Anti-Blackness, Overlooking Anti-Asian Racism: Missed Developmental Opportunities for Chinese American Youth. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2022; 32:1064-1082. [PMID: 35368117 PMCID: PMC9546120 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper explores the pathways and barriers to critical consciousness development for Chinese American youth. Thirty-five interviews conducted in 2020 with high-school-aged students in Chicago were analyzed to better understand young people's experiences developing an understanding of anti-Asian racism and anti-Blackness. Results indicated that participants overwhelmingly engaged in sustained conversations about Black Lives Matter and/or made efforts to address anti-Blackness within their families, but engaged in limited conversations about anti-Asian racism. Furthermore, conversations at home and school often failed to contextualize anti-Asian racism, specifically in relation to the experiences of other oppressed groups. Findings highlight a need for research on and practice with Chinese American adolescents to recognize the unique racial positioning of Asian Americans under White supremacy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Grace Su
- Vanderbilt University Law School
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29
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Ermis-Demirtas H, Luo Y, Huang YJ. The Trauma of COVID-19–Fueled Discrimination: Posttraumatic Stress in Asian American Adolescents. PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING 2022; 26:2156759X221106814. [PMID: 36118908 PMCID: PMC9465285 DOI: 10.1177/2156759x221106814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
With the emergence of COVID-19 in China, East and Southeast Asian American (ESEAA) students have reported increased incidents of COVID-19–fueled discrimination in online and offline (in-person) settings. Given the recency of this situation, there is a scarcity of research investigating the impact of COVID-19–related discrimination on ESEAA adolescents’ mental health, especially posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the current study, therefore, we provide evidence regarding the relations of COVID-19–fueled online and offline discrimination to PTSD symptoms in a sample of ESEAA high school students. We discuss study limitations; future recommendations; and implications for school leaders, school counselors, and other educators.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ye Luo
- University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
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30
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Schünemann WJ, Brand A, König T, Ziegler J. Leveraging Dynamic Heterogeneous Networks to Study Transnational Issue Publics. The Case of the European COVID-19 Discourse on Twitter. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2022; 7:884640. [PMID: 35846866 PMCID: PMC9280175 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.884640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a critical phase for the transnationalization of public spheres. Against this backdrop, we ask how transnational COVID-19 related online discourse has been throughout the EU over the first year of the pandemic. Which events triggered higher transnational coherence or national structuration of this specific issue public on Twitter? In order to study these questions, we rely on Twitter data obtained from the TBCOV database, i.e., a dataset for multilingual, geolocated COVID-19 related Twitter communication. We selected corpora for the 27 member states of the EU plus the United Kingdom. We defined three research periods representing different phases of the pandemic, namely April (1st wave), August (interim) and December 2020 (2nd wave) resulting in a set of 51,893,966 unique tweets for comparative analysis. In order to measure the level and temporal variation of transnational discursive linkages, we conducted a spatiotemporal network analysis of so-called Heterogeneous Information Networks (HINs). HINs allow for the integration of multiple, heterogeneous network entities (hashtags, retweets, @-mentions, URLs and named entities) to better represent the complex discursive structures reflected in social media communication. Therefrom, we obtained an aggregate measure of transnational linkages on a daily base by relating these linkages back to their geolocated authors. We find that the share of transnational discursive linkages increased over the course of the pandemic, indicating effects of adaptation and learning. However, stringent political measures of crisis management at the domestic level (such as lockdown decisions) caused stronger national structuration of COVID-19 related Twitter discourse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolf J. Schünemann
- Institute of Social Sciences, Hildesheim University, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Alexander Brand
- Institute of Social Sciences, Hildesheim University, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Tim König
- Institute of Social Sciences, Hildesheim University, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - John Ziegler
- Institute of Computer Science, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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31
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COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress and Loneliness in Chinese Residents in North America: The Role of Contraction Worry. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19137639. [PMID: 35805295 PMCID: PMC9265493 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19137639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The current study examined the association of COVID-19 contraction worry for self and for family members with COVID-19 peritraumatic distress and loneliness in Chinese residents in North America. A sample of 943 Chinese residents (immigrants, citizens, visitors, and international students) in North America completed a cross-sectional online survey during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (between January and February 2021). Univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) models identified possible sociodemographic variables that were included in the subsequent hierarchical regression models. According to the hierarchical regression models, self-contraction worry was significantly associated with both COVID-19 peritraumatic distress (B = −4.340, p < 0.001) and loneliness (B = −0.771, p = 0.006) after controlling for related sociodemographic covariates; however, family-contraction worry was not significantly associated with the outcome variables. Additionally, poorer health status and experienced discrimination significantly predicted higher COVID-19 peritraumatic distress, whereas poorer health status and perceived discrimination significantly predicted increased loneliness. The results highlighted the detrimental impacts of self-contraction worry on peritraumatic distress and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chinese residents in North America.
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32
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Gao Z. Sinophobia during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Identity, Belonging, and International Politics. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2022; 56:472-490. [PMID: 34604946 PMCID: PMC8487805 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-021-09659-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
In many countries, Sinophobia or discrimination against Chinese has taken place amid the Covid-19 pandemic. While this wave of Sinophobia is popularly understood to be based on a stereotypical association of Chinese with coronavirus, I argue that at a time of international tensions surrounding China, political antipathy toward China and Chinese matters as well. Thus, there is a phenomenon of "triple conflation" in which the health, racial, and political/national statuses of Chinese people become intermingled. In this study, I examine this triple conflation based on dozens of select cases covering Sinophobic actions of governments, politicians, media, businesses and lay persons in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe. My study consists of three parts using three respective interdisciplinary approaches. First, using a sociological approach, I argue that the racial and national statuses of Chinese are both, and sometimes interchangeably, used as identity markers for implementing containment, a public health measure that easily leads to stigmatization. Second, using a discursive approach, I examine how political claims unfavorable to China/Chinese are constructed in discussions of the pandemic. Third, using an interpretive approach, I analyze how Covid bio-political metaphors present certain imaginaries depicting Chinese as suspicious bio-political subjects. These three parts are unified in my analysis of the geopolitics of belonging, in which Chinese people's rights to certain social and physical spaces are contested sometimes thorough administrative means (such as travel restriction) and sometimes through mental representations (such as the imagination of Chinese as alien).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Gao
- Department of Psychology, Health and Gender, The American University of Paris, Paris, France.
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Kim T, Autin KL, Allan BA. An Examination of Psychology of Working Theory With Immigrant Workers in the United States. JOURNAL OF CAREER ASSESSMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/10690727221105023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
As the proportion of immigrant workers in the United States grows, understanding how contextual constraints restrict immigrant workers from securing decent work is critical. Therefore, drawing from psychology of working theory (PWT), this study examined relations from contextual barriers (economic constraints and acculturative stress) to psychological mechanisms (work volition and career adaptability) to decent work with a sample of immigrant workers in the United States. We also conducted multigroup analysis to explore whether the model varied depending on race. Diverging from previous PWT studies, we found that economic constraints directly predicted decent work and that career adaptability predicted both acculturative stress and decent work. Importantly, multigroup analysis found the relations from career adaptability and work volition to decent work were stronger for the white group than the POC group. Our findings encourage psychologists to advocate for working immigrants, including working immigrants of color, to reduce marginalization and economic constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taewon Kim
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kelsey L. Autin
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Blake A. Allan
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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Chiang PP, Yang CC, Tsai JY. Emotional Response and Behavioral Coping Associated with Experienced and Media Discrimination Among Asians and Asian Americans in the United States. RACE AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS 2022; 15:115-126. [PMID: 35382228 PMCID: PMC8972660 DOI: 10.1007/s12552-022-09362-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This paper examined how sources (experienced and media) and forms (overt and subtle) of discrimination were associated with emotional response and behavioral coping among Asians and Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in June 2020 from 249 Asian and Asian American adults living in 20 U.S. states. We used hierarchical regression for data analysis, controlling for age, gender, and the length of residence in the U.S. Results showed that experienced discrimination, especially in the overt form, was associated with both emotional responses (i.e., emotional distress and vigilance) and behavioral coping (i.e., using avoidant behavior to protect oneself). Media discrimination was associated only with emotional response. The relationship between experienced discrimination and emotional response was less pronounced among those who frequently observed discrimination in the media. Notably, subtle discrimination through personal experience or media exposure was positively associated with behavioral coping. The results suggest the need to address the rising anti-Asian acts with more initiatives in policy and practice, with special attention paid to the parallel influences from personal experience and media exposure to violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela P. Chiang
- Social Work, Plymouth State University, 17 High Street, Plymouth, NH 03264 USA
| | - Chia-chen Yang
- Educational Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 217 Willard Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Jiun-Yi Tsai
- School of Communications, Northern Arizona University, 700 S. Knoles Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 USA
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Regalado J, Timmer A, Jawaid A. Crime and deviance during the COVID-19 pandemic. SOCIOLOGY COMPASS 2022; 16:e12974. [PMID: 35603319 PMCID: PMC9115358 DOI: 10.1111/soc4.12974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the world and inevitably influenced people's behaviors including the likelihood of crime and deviance. Emerging empirical evidence suggests a decline in certain crimes (e.g., theft, robbery, and assault) but also proliferation of different violent behaviors and cybercriminal activity during the pandemic. To explain those trends, we draw on existent theories and elaborate on how crime and violence have been affected by the changes in people's daily routines and accumulated stressful conditions. However, as recent crime trends appear to be largely inconsistent and vary across social groups and contexts, we argue that social scientists need to pay particular attention to the differential experiences related to crime and violence during this global crisis. Specifically, because of the disproportionate experience of violence by vulnerable groups including minorities and women as well as the unique cross-national variations in deviance, more nuanced approaches to understanding causes of crime are warranted. We also discuss the limitations of present research and provide recommendations for the development of comparative and multi-disciplinary studies on criminal and deviant behaviors that are influenced by human crisis situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jullianne Regalado
- Department of Criminology and Justice StudiesCalifornia State UniversityNorthridgeCaliforniaUSA
| | - Anastasiia Timmer
- Department of Criminology and Justice StudiesCalifornia State UniversityNorthridgeCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ali Jawaid
- University of Texas Health Science CenterHoustonTexasUSA
- Laboratory of Translational Research in Neuropsychiatric Disorders (TREND) at the BRAINCITY: Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain DisordersWarsawPoland
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Kawano B, Agarwal S, Krishnamoorthy V, Raghunathan K, Haines KL. Trends in Assault Mortalities Among Asian Americans, 2009-2018. J Surg Res 2022; 275:336-340. [PMID: 35339002 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As of yet, few studies have described the prevalence or rates of assault mortalities involving Asian victims on a national level. This study aimed to describe yearly trends and regional differences in assault mortalities among Asians. METHODS This repeat cross-sectional study from 2009 to 2018 used data from the Mortality Multiple Cause-of-Death Public Use Record from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research. Total and proportion of assault mortalities involving Asians or Pacific Islanders were calculated by year. Total and rates (per 100,000 Asians or Pacific Islanders) of assault mortalities among Asians or Pacific Islanders were stratified by state and county classification where deaths occurred. RESULTS In 2009, 344 assault mortalities among Asians or Pacific Islanders accounted for 2.07% of assault-related deaths. In 2018, 366 assault mortalities among Asians or Pacific Islanders accounted for 1.96% of assault-related deaths. Furthermore, there were more assault mortalities from 2009 to 2018 among Asians or Pacific Islanders in California (n = 1116) and large central metropolitan counties (n = 1707). However, the highest rates of assault mortalities were in Alaska and Mississippi (7.1 and 6.8 per 100,000, respectively) and noncore nonmetropolitan counties (2.9 per 100,000). CONCLUSIONS These findings emphasize the importance of studying and addressing violence toward Asians in rural regions and Southern states. Future studies should use these results as a baseline to analyze mortality data from 2019 to 2021, when available, to examine the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic's impact on assault mortalities among Asian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Kawano
- Division of Trauma, Acute, and Critical Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Suresh Agarwal
- Division of Trauma, Acute, and Critical Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Vijay Krishnamoorthy
- Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Karthik Raghunathan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Krista L Haines
- Division of Trauma, Acute, and Critical Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
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Ma R, Ma Z. How are we going to treat Chinese people during the pandemic? Media cultivation of intergroup threat and blame. GROUP PROCESSES & INTERGROUP RELATIONS 2022; 26:515-533. [PMID: 37013131 PMCID: PMC10061227 DOI: 10.1177/13684302221075695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
This study integrates cultivation and intergroup threat theories to examine media cultivation effects during the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that U.S. media have consistently portrayed China as a threat and target of blame. The cultivation of media has thus resulted in perceived threat of and blame on Chinese people for the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of a cross-sectional survey in two samples (MTurk: N = 375; college: N = 566) showed that the amount of media consumption predicted stronger perceptions that Chinese people were a health threat, and also predicted blame on Chinese people for the COVID-19 outbreak. Threat perception and blame were further associated with support of media content that derogated China, stronger intentions to attack, and weaker intentions to help Chinese people. The findings have profound implications for intergroup threat and cultivation research, and practical importance for intergroup relations, especially when the global community finds itself in a public crisis.
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Ji Y, Chen YW. "Spat On and Coughed At": Co-Cultural Understanding of Chinese International Students' Experiences with Stigmatization during the COVID-19 Pandemic. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2022:1-9. [PMID: 35253536 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2022.2045069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper examines Chinese international students' lived experiences of being stigmatized during the early onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. To understand their dual-marginalization due to Othered Chinese-ness (e.g. racialized immigrant Others and foreigner Asians) and presumed contagiousness (e.g. suspected, diseased, and infectious), we adopt co-cultural theory to centralize their experiences of coping with COVID-related stigmatization. Semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis demonstrate how Chinese students in this study heightened their sensitivity to ambiguous yet hostile stigmatization and how they often opted for nonassertive, non-confrontational, and threat-avoiding coping strategies. We reflect on how current health and racism crises further marginalize immigrant Others in general and Chinese immigrants in particular. We conclude with discussing theoretical application of co-cultural theory to understand stigmatizing and stigmatized health communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadong Ji
- Department of Communication Studies, North Central College
| | - Yea-Wen Chen
- School of Communication, San Diego State University
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Van Scoy LJ, Snyder B, Miller EL, Toyobo O, Grewal A, Ha G, Gillespie S, Patel M, Zgierska AE, Lennon RP. 'Us-Versus-Them': Othering in COVID-19 public health behavior compliance. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261726. [PMID: 35073346 PMCID: PMC8786185 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective We explored public perceptions about the COVID-19 pandemic to learn how those attitudes may affect compliance with health behaviors. Methods Participants were Central Pennsylvania adults from diverse backgrounds purposively sampled (based on race, gender, educational attainment, and healthcare worker status) who responded to a mixed methods survey, completed between March 25–31, 2020. Four open-ended questions were analyzed, including: “What worries you most about the COVID-19 pandemic?” We applied a pragmatic, inductive coding process to conduct a qualitative, descriptive content analysis of responses. Results Of the 5,948 respondents, 538 were sampled for this qualitative analysis. Participants were 58% female, 56% with ≥ bachelor’s degree, and 50% from minority racial backgrounds. Qualitative descriptive analysis revealed four themes related to respondents’ health and societal concerns: lack of faith in others; fears of illness or death; frustration at perceived slow societal response; and a desire for transparency in communicating local COVID-19 information. An “us-versus-them” subtext emerged; participants attributed non-compliance with COVID-19 behaviors to other groups, setting themselves apart from those Others. Conclusion Our study uncovered Othering undertones in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, occurring between groups of like-minded individuals with behavioral differences in ‘compliance’ versus ‘non-compliance’ with public health recommendations. Addressing the ‘us-versus-them’ mentality may be important for boosting compliance with recommended health behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Jodi Van Scoy
- Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
- Department of Humanities, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine Hershey, Hershey, PA, United States of America
- Qualitative and Mixed Methods Core, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Hershey, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Bethany Snyder
- Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
- Qualitative and Mixed Methods Core, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Erin L. Miller
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Olubukola Toyobo
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Ashmita Grewal
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine Hershey, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Giang Ha
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Sarah Gillespie
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Megha Patel
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Aleksandra E. Zgierska
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine Hershey, Hershey, PA, United States of America
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Robert P. Lennon
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
- Penn State Law, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
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Yi SS, Kwon SC, Suss R, Ðoàn LN, John I, Islam NS, Trinh-Shevrin C. The Mutually Reinforcing Cycle Of Poor Data Quality And Racialized Stereotypes That Shapes Asian American Health. Health Aff (Millwood) 2022; 41:296-303. [PMID: 35130076 PMCID: PMC9942602 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The Asian American health narrative reflects a long history of structural racism in the US and the complex interplay of racialized history, immigrant patterns, and policies regarding Asians in the US. Yet owing to systematic issues in data collection including missing or misclassified data for Asian Americans and practices that lead to indiscriminate grouping of unlike individuals (for example, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Bangladeshi) together in data systems and pervasive stereotypes of Asian Americans, the drivers and experiences of health disparities experienced by these diverse groups remain unclear. The perpetual exclusion and misrepresentation of Asian American experiences in health research is exacerbated by three racialized stereotypes-the model minority, healthy immigrant effect, and perpetual foreigner-that fuel scientific and societal perceptions that Asian Americans do not experience health disparities. This codifies racist biases against the Asian American population in a mutually reinforcing cycle. In this article we describe the poor-quality data infrastructure and biases on the part of researchers and public health professionals, and we highlight examples from the health disparities literature. We provide recommendations on how to implement systems-level change and educational reform to infuse racial equity in future policy and practice for Asian American communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella S Yi
- Stella S. Yi , NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Rachel Suss
- Rachel Suss, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Lan N Ðoàn
- Lan N. Ðoàn, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Iyanrick John
- Iyanrick John, California State University, Hayward, California
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Pierson-Brown T. It's Not Irony, it's Interest Convergence: A CRT Perspective on Racism as Public Health Crisis Statements. THE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS : A JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS 2022; 50:693-702. [PMID: 36883398 PMCID: PMC10009367 DOI: 10.1017/jme.2023.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Racism as a Public Health Crisis Statements (RPHCs) acknowledge the reality that racism must be eradicated to ensure health justice: a fair and just opportunity for all individuals to be healthy. Scholars of critical race theory (CRT) have expressed doubt when it comes to the capacity of law-related institutions to catalyze or sustain anti-racist efforts. These strains of skepticism underscore the question of whether so many RPHCS were adopted precisely because, in many instances, they were merely symbolic acts. This commentary argues that the trend in adopting RPHCs carries signs of interest convergence, and asserts that the alliance between government and the movement for health justice reflected in this phenomenon falls short of the substantive anti-racist action needed to realize health justice. The spate of RPHC adoption, in lieu of passing anti-racist policy or meaningfully empowering people of color, signifies that the movement for health justice must be strategic in determining whether to leverage, or be wary of, the power dynamics which shape political change. The health justice framework must expand its toolkit to include CRT.
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Daniels C, DiMaggio P, Mora GC, Shepherd H. Has Pandemic Threat Stoked Xenophobia? How COVID-19 Influences California Voters' Attitudes toward Diversity and Immigration. SOCIOLOGICAL FORUM (RANDOLPH, N.J.) 2021; 36:889-915. [PMID: 34908650 PMCID: PMC8662197 DOI: 10.1111/socf.12750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Sociological theory and historical precedent suggest that pandemics engender scapegoating of outgroups, but fail to specify how the ethnoracial boundaries defining outgroups are drawn. Using a survey experiment that primed half of the respondents (California registered voters) with questions about COVID-19 during April 2020, we ask how the pandemic influenced attitudes toward immigration, diversity and affect toward Asian Americans. In the aggregate, the COVID prime did not affect attitudes toward immigrants, but did reduce support for policies opening a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and reduced appreciation of California's diversity. Respondents reported rarely feeling anger or fear toward Asian Americans, and rates were unaffected by the COVID prime. A non-experimental comparison between attitudes toward immigrants in September 2019 and April 2020 found a positive change, driven by change among Asian-American and Latino respondents. The results provide selective support for the proposition that pandemics engender xenophobia. At least in April 2020 in California, increased bias crimes against Asian Americans more likely reflected politicians' authorization of scapegoating than broad-based racial antagonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea Daniels
- Department of SociologyNew York University295 Lafayette Street – 4th FloorNew YorkNY10012USA
| | - Paul DiMaggio
- Department of SociologyNew York University295 Lafayette Street – 4th FloorNew YorkNY10012USA
| | - G. Cristina Mora
- Department of SociologyUniversity of California – Berkeley498 Barrows Hall M/C 1980BerkeleyCA94720 – 1980USA
| | - Hana Shepherd
- Department of SociologyRutgers UniversityDavison Hall, 26 Nichol Ave.New BrunswickNJ08901USA
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Oh H, Zhou S, Banawa R. The Mental Health Consequences of Discrimination Against Asian American/Pacific Islanders. Psychiatr Serv 2021; 72:1359. [PMID: 34734750 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202100224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hans Oh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (Oh)
- Department of Public Health, Wayne State University, Detroit (Zhou)
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Banawa)
| | - Sasha Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (Oh)
- Department of Public Health, Wayne State University, Detroit (Zhou)
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Banawa)
| | - Rachel Banawa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (Oh)
- Department of Public Health, Wayne State University, Detroit (Zhou)
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Banawa)
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The House Is on Fire but We Kept the Burglars Out: Racial Apathy and White Ignorance in Pandemic-Era Immigration Detention. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci10100358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Past research shows that crises reveal the sensitive spots of established ideologies and practices, thereby providing opportunities for social change. We investigated immigration control amid the pandemic crisis, focusing on potential openings for both challengers and proponents of immigration detention. We asked: How have these groups responded to the pandemic crisis? Have they called for transformative change? We analyzed an original data set of primary content derived from immigrant advocates and stakeholders of the immigration detention industry. We found as the pandemic ravaged the world, it did not appear to result in significant cracks in the industry, as evidenced by the consistency of narratives dating back to pre-pandemic times. The American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) criticisms of inhumane conditions in immigration detention resembled those from its pre-pandemic advocacy. Private prison companies, including CoreCivic and GEO Group, emphasized their roles as ordinary businesses rather than detention managers during the pandemic, just as they had before the crisis. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), however, manufactured an alternative storyline, emphasizing “COVID fraud” as the real threat to the “Homeland.” Although it did not call for radical change, it radically shifted its rhetoric in response to the pandemic. We discuss how these organizations’ indifference towards structural racism contributes to racial apathy and how the obliviousness and irresponsibility of industry stakeholders resembles white ignorance.
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Hardy LJ, Mana A, Mundell L, Neuman M, Benheim S, Otenyo E. Who is to blame for COVID-19? Examining politicized fear and health behavior through a mixed methods study in the United States. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256136. [PMID: 34469453 PMCID: PMC8409642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Political ideologies drove public actions and health behaviors in the first year of the global pandemic. Different ideas about contagion, health behaviors, and the actions of governing bodies impacted the spread of the virus and health and life. Researchers used an immediate, mixed methods design to explore sociocultural responses to the virus and identified differences and similarities in anxiety, fear, blame, and perceptions of nation across political divides. METHODS Researchers conducted 60 in-depth, semi-structured interviews and administered over 1,000 questionnaires with people living in the United States. The team analyzed data through an exploratory and confirmatory sequential mixed methods design. RESULTS In the first months of the pandemic interviewees cited economic inequality, untrustworthy corporations and other entities, and the federal government as threats to life and pandemic control. Participants invoked ideas about others to determine blame. Findings reveal heavy associations between lack of safety during a public health crisis and blame of "culture" and government power across the political spectrum. CONCLUSION Data indicate anxiety across political differences related to ideas of contagion and the maleficence of a powerful elite. Findings on how people understand the nation, politics, and pandemic management contribute to understanding dimensions of health behaviors and underlying connections between anxiety and the uptake of conspiracy theories in public health. The article ends with recommendations drawn from project findings for future pandemic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J. Hardy
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- Social Science Community Engagement Lab, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Adi Mana
- School of Behavioural Science, Peres Academic Center, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Leah Mundell
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- Social Science Community Engagement Lab, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Moran Neuman
- Martin-Springer Center for Conflict Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Shiva, Israel
| | - Sharón Benheim
- Martin-Springer Center for Conflict Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Shiva, Israel
| | - Eric Otenyo
- Social Science Community Engagement Lab, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- Politics and International Affairs, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
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Oh H. The Association Between Discriminatory Experiences and Self-Reported Health Status among Asian Americans and Its Subethnic Group Variations. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2021; 9:1689-1696. [PMID: 34302288 PMCID: PMC8300978 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-021-01108-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Using distinct measures for racial microaggressions and discrimination, this article explored the association between discriminatory experiences and self-reported health status among Asian populations in the USA and its subethnic group variation. METHODS This article investigated 4393 Asian American adults from the 2016 Post-Election National Asian American Survey (NAAS). Binary measure of self-reported health (not good/good) was accounted for. Two measures of racial microaggressions included (1) verbal microaggression and (2) behavioral microaggression. Two measures of discrimination encompassed (1) workplace discrimination and (2) institutional racism. Ethic groups were classified to (1) East Asian (n=1491), (2) Southeast Asian (n=1758), or (3) South Asian (n=1144). RESULTS Findings from logistic regression analyses showed that increased workplace discrimination and institutional racism yielded decreased odds of reporting good health status. The association between racial microaggressions, discrimination, and self-reported health status varied across ethnic subgroup, indicating that the verbal aggression score was more predictive for the East Asian group while institutional racism was most harmful to Southeast Asians. DISCUSSION Findings highlighted the racialized interpretation and its variations in self-reported health status among Asian populations. Relating to variations in experiences of racialization and attainment of socioeconomic status, disproportionate relationships of discriminatory experiences and health among Asian populations were further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunsu Oh
- Department of Sociology, University of California, Merced, 5200 Lake Rd., Merced, CA, 95343, USA.
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Outbreaks and Outgroups: Three Tests of the Relationship Between Disease Avoidance Motives and Xenophobia During an Emerging Pandemic. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2021; 7:419-429. [PMID: 33903849 PMCID: PMC8060690 DOI: 10.1007/s40806-021-00283-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Given the persistent threat posed by infectious disease throughout human history, people have a sophisticated suite of cognitive and behavioral strategies designed to mitigate exposure to disease vectors. Previous research suggests that one such strategy is avoidance of unfamiliar outgroup members. We thus examined the relationship between dispositional worry about disease and support for COVID-19-related travel bans across three preregistered studies (N = 764) conducted at the outset of the pandemic in the United States and Singapore. Americans higher in Perceived Infectability were more supportive of travel bans, whereas Singaporeans higher in Germ Aversion were more supportive of travel bans. In Study 2, priming saliency of the pandemic increased support for travel bans from high (but not low) pandemic-risk countries. This prime did not increase general xenophobia. These results are consistent with threat-specific perspectives of outgroup avoidance, and provide an ecologically-valid test of the implications of perceived disease threat for policy-related attitudes and decision-making.
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Mental Well-Being of Chinese Immigrants in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey Investigating Personal and Societal Antecedents. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13084198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted people’s lives worldwide, with negative consequences for mental health and well-being. Antecedents of mental health and well-being in times of COVID-19 have been underresearched, especially among minority groups. Therefore, an online survey was conducted investigating the personal and societal antecedents of mental well-being among Chinese immigrants in the Netherlands (N = 268). Constructs included perceived decrease of mental well-being and attitude toward the Netherlands as dependent variables and a range of potential antecedents as independent variables. Results show that participants judged the Chinese COVID-19 situation significantly more positively than the Dutch situation. Five antecedents of decreased mental well-being were found: financial concerns, social isolation, feelings of lost time, experienced racism, and distrust of Dutch COVID-19 information and figures. The antecedents of participants’ attitude toward the Netherlands were largely different: missing China, perceived difficulty of traveling to China, distrust of Dutch government measures, trust in Chinese government measures, and distrust of Dutch COVID-19 information and figures. Fear of the virus itself did not significantly affect either of the dependent variables. The results call for a broad perspective on factors associated with mental well-being and for special attention for minority groups in the societal dynamics.
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Zhou S, Banawa R, Oh H. The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Discrimination Against Asian American and Pacific Islanders. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:708426. [PMID: 34867510 PMCID: PMC8637907 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.708426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Hate crimes against Asian American/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) have surged in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic to alarming new levels. We analyzed data from the Healthy Minds Study, and found that COVID-19 related racial/ethnic discrimination was associated with greater odds of having depression, anxiety, non-suicidal self-injury, binge drinking, and suicidal ideation among AAPI university students (N = 1,697). Findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic precipitated discrimination, which has been linked to mental health problems, calling for more preventive interventions to address the AAPI population, especially given their low rates of formal treatment utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha Zhou
- Department of Public Health, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Rachel Banawa
- Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Hans Oh
- Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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