The effects of ethnic identity, family conflict, and acculturation on racial discrimination and mental distress of second generation Asian Americans
Abstract
The present study examined the influence of various factors affecting second-generation Asian Americans. Specifically, the study investigated if ethnic identity, level of acculturation, and family conflict were related to perceptions of racial discrimination and mental distress in a sample of 104 participants who identified themselves as second-generation individuals who were born or arrived to the United States before the age of 18, were of Asian origin, and were between the ages of 18 and 35. Participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale the Asian American Family Conflicts Scale, the Asian American Racism-Related Stress Inventory, the Psychological Distress Scale, and the Quick Discrimination Inventory. Data analyses were conducted using correlations and multiple regression procedures. Results from this study yielded several findings. The investigation confirmed that family conflict was positively to psychological distress, acculturation, and high levels of discrimination. Mental distress was also positively related to discrimination. However, the proposed hypothesis that ethnic identity would moderate the relationship between discrimination and mental distress was not supported. Acculturation was also not found to moderate the relationship between family conflict and mental distress. High levels of acculturation were related to high levels of family conflict. However, analysis revealed that acculturation is not related to perceptions of discrimination. The findings of this study are important when evaluating various factors that may have psychological ramifications for second-generation Asian Americans. Empirical, clinical, and practical implications and methodological limitations, and future research were discussed.
Subject Area
Counseling Psychology|Individual & family studies
Recommended Citation
Srivastava, Devika, "The effects of ethnic identity, family conflict, and acculturation on racial discrimination and mental distress of second generation Asian Americans" (2012). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3521820.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3521820
