The Relationship Between Critical Ethnic Awareness and Racial Discrimination: Multiple Indirect Effects of Coping Strategies Among Asian Americans

Abstract

Asian Americans face discrimination based on their culture and ethnicity, despite being perceived as successful immigrants with few problems. Little information is available regarding what factors might facilitate Asian Americans' recognition of racial discrimination experiences (RDEs) to enhance their ability to cope. This study draws concepts from empowerment and stress-coping theories and examines relationships between critical ethnic awareness and RDEs and between RDEs and the effects of coping strategies specific to discrimination on the outcome of depressive symptoms. A convenience sample of Asian American adults (N = 405) was used to test 2 main hypotheses using path analysis: first, that critical ethnic awareness is indirectly associated with coping strategies through RDEs, and second, 4 coping strategies differentially and indirectly affect the RDE-depression relationship. The findings show critical ethnic awareness indirectly affects 2 types of emotional coping through RDEs. In addition, RDEs have an indirect effect on depressive symptoms through 2 coping strategies involving emotional reactions. The proposed path model strengthens theoretical arguments of the empowerment theory that hold that critical ethnic awareness contributes to better recognition of RDEs and facilitates emotion-based coping strategies to deal with psychological stresses in response to RDEs. The study also found support for the significant indirect effects for emotional engagement coping in RDE-depressive symptoms relationships.

Annual review of Asian American Psychology, 2013.

“…Social engagement of Asian American older adults was the primary focus of the studies (e.g., Park, Jang, Lee, Haley, & Chiriboga, 2013; Tummala-Narra, Sathasivam-Rueckert, & Sundaram, 2013). Kim (2013) found that social support and self-enhancement experienced at ethnic senior schools had positive effects on the psychological well-being of older Korean immigrants with limited English skills and transportation. Park et al (2013) found that loneliness mediated the relationship between social engagement and depressive symptoms among older Korean Americans.…”

Not your model minority: Own-group activism among Asian Americans.

“…Additionally, structural awareness was found to mediate the relationship between experiences of discrimination and activism (Duncan, 1999). Moreover, past studies have found a positive relationship between experiences of discrimination and structural awareness among women (Duncan, 1999), and among Asian Americans (Kim, 2013, 2014). In sum, these studies suggest that having experiences of discrimination raises awareness about structural inequality, which incentivizes individuals to engage in activism.…”

Discrimination, Racial/Ethnic Identity, and Substance Use Among Latina/os: Are They Gendered?

“…For example, despite that we only included one modifiable factor to consider for intervention (i.e., racial/ethnic identity), other potential viable health-promoting mechanisms include empowering and supporting Latina/o communities to harness coping resources that support instead of damage health—e.g., social support and meaning-making opportunities such as engaging in critical awareness—which might empower marginalized individuals to work toward social change and advocacy to redress the effects of discrimination at a community and societal level (cf. [54]). Further, research shows that cigarette smoking actually increases rather than alleviates distress [66].…”

“…[17]). Empirical research [54] finds that critical ethnic awareness is associated with increased perceptions of discrimination, which, in turn, are associated with emotion-focused engagement coping related to discrimination (e.g., coping through social contacts and expressing emotions) and lower levels of psychological distress. It may be that the meaning of racial/ethnic identity may differ for Latino women and men, which may result in differences in how they cope with discrimination.…”