Concerning Rates of Depression and Suicidal Thoughts and Actions Found in New Study of Mental Health and Well-Being Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Youth
One of the most comprehensive studies of its kind, the report explores the unique stressors affecting AANHPI youth, the ways in which they cope, and opportunities to address challenges and misunderstandings faced by this underexamined group.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) today released Beyond the Surface: Understanding Mental Health Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Youth, a nationally representative mixed methods study exploring the mental and emotional well-being of young people aged 14-25 in the AANHPI community. The study, one of the most comprehensive conducted on the topic, delves into topics of depression, suicide, stress, racial discrimination, support systems, and potential solutions for a group that is often overlooked due to pervasive stereotypes about its perceived wellness.
The Situation
Among the study's more concerning discoveries: despite most AANHPI youth saying their mental health is fine, their responses to more in-depth questions revealed hidden struggles. While nearly 7 in 10 AANHPI participants (69%) described their mental health as "good" or "excellent," almost half (48%) scored above the threshold for moderate depression on the PHQ-9 (a widely-used psychological screening tool), and 3 in 10 revealed that they had either planned or attempted suicide within their lifetime.
Notably, youth who identify as LGBTQ+ and young women were among those most at risk. Only 51% of LGBTQ+ participants described their mental health as "good" or "excellent," while 56% scored above the threshold for moderate depression, and over half had planned or attempted to end their life (by far the highest rate of any demographic tracked in the study). Females were more likely to have considered or attempted suicidal actions sometime in their life (34% compared to 23% males).
Stressors and Racial Factors
The study found that the biggest stressor on mental health for AANHPI youth is the pressure they put on themselves to excel–in school, extracurriculars, and at work. 43% of participants cited this as having a "very" or "extremely" negative impact on their mental health. Other top factors causing stress were a sense of duty toward family and fear of causing them shame (39%) and pressure from parents or caregivers (36%). 34% of female participants also cited struggles with body image as a major stressor, compared to only 23% of young men.
Racial and ethnic experiences also have a major effect on AANHPI youth, with 93% of participants reporting having experienced some form of race-based discrimination in the past year. Most common among these experiences were microaggressions, which despite seeming minor, can have negative impacts on mental well-being. Young AANHPIs cited having their ethnicity confused with another one (50%), hearing jokes about others who share the same race or ethnicity (45%), and being asked where they are from–despite being American (41%)–as the most common microaggressions experienced.
When asked what racialized experiences have severe negative impacts on their mental health, the top three answers were hearing about anti-AANHPI incidents (34%), seeing or hearing negative comments or jokes connected to their race/ethnicity (33%), and feeling like they don't belong because of their race or ethnicity (26%).
17% of respondents felt negatively about their ethnicity; and 1 out of 5 (20%) respondents reported wishing that they were a different ethnicity. The impact of racial and ethnic factors seems to vary by age, with 18-25 year olds more likely to be affected than 14-17 year olds.
Seeking Help
When it comes to seeking help with mental health concerns, many young AANHPIs (53%) turn to parents for help, though nearly half (46%) report not feeling comfortable doing so. Southeast Asians were the least comfortable seeking help from parents of the ethnic subgroups studied (46%), while LGBTQ+ youth had the lowest rate of comfort of any demographic tracked at only 33%.
Barriers preventing youth from seeking help from parents included not wanting to burden them (55%), differing beliefs about mental health needs (51%), and the fear of being perceived as an embarrassment or disappointment (35%).
When young AANHPIs do seek support, friends are a top choice. In fact, nearly twice as many young people say they would turn to a friend (61%) than a boyfriend/girlfriend (32%) if they were having a tough time emotionally or mentally, and even fewer would seek a mental health or medical professional (26%). More than 1 in 4 (26%) at-risk AANHPI young people have never spoken to a professional about their mental health, with Southeast Asians being least likely to have received professional support within the past year (47%).
Finding Solutions
82% of young people identified interacting with friends as an activity that helps them with their mental health. Other top answers included listening to music, watching movies/television, or playing video games (82%), sleeping (80%), eating favorite foods (79%), and spending time outdoors (70%).
When asked what the community can do to help support their mental health, the top suggestion for young people was the creation of wellness spaces where community members can come together to ease anxiety and stress (38%). Other popular options included a mental health app for young people (34%), more accessible and culturally responsive mental health professionals (33%), and mental health training programs for parents (31%).
"We see this report as an important step toward breaking through the historic underinvestment in the mental health of our community's young people," said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. "According to the CDC, the leading cause of death for Asian Americans age 15-24 from 2018-2022 was suicide. Our hope is that these findings will act as a catalyst for critical discussion and, more importantly, action. There is an urgent need to raise awareness of these issues, address the funding gap around AANHPI research, and take a systems-based approach toward addressing the pressures unique to our community"
"Having this critical mental health data on AANHPI youth is invaluable, but what's truly exciting is our ability to dig deeper into the data to address the unique challenges faced by specific ethnic subgroups within the larger community," said Cindy H. Liu, Professor at Harvard Medical School and Chair of the study's Academic Advisory Committee. "This level of disaggregation enables us not only to advocate for interventions that are sensitive to the needs of particular groups, but also to explore systemic factors that may be contributing to shared negative impacts across otherwise distinct communities."
Beyond the Surface's findings are comprised of data gathered from a nationally representative survey of 1,409 AANHPI individuals aged 14-25 as well as insights from focus groups of 29 AANHPI individuals aged 14-18, conducted between August 16 and September 7, 2024. The study was designed to provide data disaggregated based on major Asian American ethnic subgroups (including East Asians, South Asians, Southeast Asians, and Filipinos). Data was also disaggregated to understand the experience of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have historical, social, and cultural contexts that are distinct from Asian American groups.
The study was guided by an academic advisory committee chaired by Cindy H. Liu, PhD (Harvard Medical School), a community advisory committee led by DJ Ida, PhD (National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association), and youth researchers.
The full report is available at https://www.taaf.org/youthmentalhealth.
ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION (TAAF)
TAAF serves the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community in their pursuit of belonging and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence. Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in AANHPI communities, TAAF mobilizes to fight against hate and violence, reclaim our narratives and celebrate our stories through our core pillars of Anti-Hate, Education, Narrative Change, and Resources & Representation. Through our high-impact initiatives, events, and investments in national and local nonprofits, we're creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of AANHPIs in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org.
CONTACTS
Joy Moh and Jon Stone
The Asian American Foundation
[email protected]
SOURCE The Asian American Foundation
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