Experiences of Perceived Discrimination Among Asian Indian Youth: A Mixed-Methods Study
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Date
2020-06-02
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Abstract
Asian Indians were the first South Asians to immigrate to the United States in the
late 1800s and are currently the largest ethnic group of South Asians living in the United
States. Despite this the literature on perceived discrimination experiences among this
group is relatively understudied. It is speculated that the under-examination of
discriminatory acts against Asian Indians may be due to the ‘model-minority myth’
which is often attributed to East Asian Americans. The documented experiences of
Asian Indians who either recently immigrated from India or were born and raised in
America pose an important question: how factors such as age, generational status,
acculturation, ethnic/racial identity, and acculturation impact perceived experiences of
discrimination among Asian Indians. The current study utilized a mixed-methods design
to explore Asian Indian American youth’s discrimination experiences and how these
experiences may impact their mental health. Through interviews and surveys, it is
suggested that Asian Indian youth experience discrimination at a young age, and may be
experiencing negative mental health outcomes as a result. At the same time, a stronger
sense of ethnic identity may act as a protective buffer against these negative outcomes.
The results of this study can inform future areas of research and best practices for
working with Asian Indian youth.
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Keywords
racial discrimination, South Asian, adolescents, ethnic discrimination, identity